fCUBA- 
PORTORICO 


AD.NALL 


,CUBA, 

IT'S  PAST,  PRESENT,  AND  FUTURE 


BY 

a!  d.  hall 


NEW  YORK 

STREET  &  SMITH,  Publishers 
8 I  Fulton  Street 


Copyrighted 

1898 

By  Street  &  Smith. 


CONTENTS, 


CHAPTER  PAGE. 

I. — Discovery  and  Early  History 7 

n. — The  British  Occupation — Spain's  Gratitude 19 

III.— Cuba's  Early  Struggles  for  Liberty 30 

IV.— The  Ten  Years'  War 43 

V. — The  Virginius  Embroglio 59 

VI. — Again  Spain's  Perfidy 67 

VII. — Some  Cuban  Heroes 73 

VIII.— Cuban  Tactics 84 

IX.— Weyler  the  Butcher. 92 

X.— The  Crime  of  the  Century 102 

XL — Two  Methods  of  Warfare;  The  Spanish  and  the  Cuban..  .110 

XIL— The  Butcher's  Campaign 122 

XIII. — America's  Charity  and  Spain's  Diplomacy 132 

XIV.  -The  Last  Days  of  Peace   144 

XV. — The  Topography  and  Resources  of  Cuba  154 

XVI.— What  Will  the  Future  Be?  170 


CUBA 
ITS    PAST,  PRESENT,  AND  FUTURE 


CHAPTER  I. 

DISCOVERY    AND    EARI^Y    HISTORY. 

' '  The  goodliest  laud  that  eye  ever  saw,  the  sweetest 
thing  in  the  world." 

Such  was  Columbus'  opinion  of  Cuba,  just  after  he 
first  beheld  it,  and,  after  the  lapse  of  four  hundred 
years,  the  words,  making  due  allowance  for  the  hyper- 
bole of  enthusiasm,  still  hold  good.  And  this,  too,  in 
spite  of  all  the  trials  and  tribulations  which  the  fair 
"Pearl  of  the  Antilles"  has  been  forced  to  undergo  at 
the  hands  of  her  greedy  and  inhuman  masters. 

The  eyes  of  all  the  world  are  now  upon  this  indescrib- 
ably beautiful  and  fertile  country.  Like  Andromeda, 
she  has  been  shuddering  and  gasping  in  the  power  of  a 
monster,  but  at  last  a  Perseus  has  come  to  her  rescue. 
Somewhat  tardily  perhaps  the  United  States,  united 
now  in  every  meaning  of  the  word,  has  from  pure  phil- 
anthropy embraced  her  cause — the  United  States  whose 
watchword,  with  a  sturdy  hatred  of  the  oppressor,  has 
ever  been  and  always  will  be  "freedom."  The  star  of 
hope,  symbolized  by  the  lone  star  upon  the  Cuban  flag, 
and  so  long  concealed    by  gloomy,    threatening    clouds, 


8  DISCOVERY   AND    EARLY   HISTORY. 

is  now  shining  clear  and  bright ;  and  all  civilization  is 
waiting  with  happy  confidence  for  the  day,  God  willing 
not  far  distant,  when  "Cuba  Libre"  shall  be  not  only 
an  article  of  creed,  but  an  established  fact. 

The  island  of  Cuba,  the  largest  and  richest  of  the 
West  Indian  Islands,  and  up  to  the  present  the  most  im- 
portant of  Spain's  colonial  possessions,  not  so  vast  as 
they  once  were  but  still  of  no  inconsiderable  value,  was 
discovered  by  Columbus  during  his  first  voyage  to  the 
far  west. 

For  many  centuries,  even  back  to  the  time  of  Solo- 
mon, the  chief  object  of  explorers  had  been  a  discovery 
of  a  passage  to  India  and  the  fabulous  wealth  of  the 
East.  In  the  thirteenth  century,  Marco  Polo,  the  famous 
Venetian  explorer,  went  far  beyond  any  of  his  predeces- 
sors and  succeeded  in  reaching  Pekin.  He  also  heard  of 
another  empire  which  was  called  Zipangri,  the  same  that 
we  now  know  as  Japan.  When  he  returned  and  pub- 
lished what  we  are  sorry  to  say  was  none  too  veracious 
an  account,  Polo  being  only  too  ready  to  draw  upon  his 
imagination,  other  nations,  were  fired  b}'  emulation. 

The  Portuguese  were  the  first  to  achieve  any  positive 
result.  Early  in  the  fifteenth  century,  inspired  by  an 
able  and  enterprising  sovereign,  they  doubled  Cape 
Non,  discovered  Madeira,  occupied  the  Azores  and 
reached  the  Senegal  and  the  Cape  Verde  Islands.  In 
i486,  Bartholomew  Diaz  sighted  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  which  some  ten  years  later  Vasco  da  Gama,  the 
most  famous  of  all  Portuguese  explorers,  rounded,  and 
then  proceeded  some  distance  toward  India. 


DISCOVERY   AND    EALRY    HISTORY.  9 

It  was  after  hearing  the  wonderful  tales  of  these  ex- 
plorers that  Columbus  became  inspired  with  the  idea  of 
sailing  westward  on  the  unknown  waters,  expecting 
thus  to  reach  India.  After  untold  discouragements,  and 
finally  by  the  generosity  of  Queen  Isabella,  who  was 
brought  to  believe  in  his  conjectures,  he  set  sail  from 
Palos,  August  3,  1492,  with  three  small  vessels  manned 
by  about  ninety  sailors.  The  following  12th  of  October 
he  first  sighted  the  western  hemisphere,  which,  however, 
he  thought  to  be  Asia,  and  b}^  the  way,  lived  and  died 
in  that  belief.  This  land  was  one  of  the  Bahama  Islands, 
called  by  the  natives  Guanahani,  but  christened  by 
Columbus  as  San  Salvador.  It  is  now  known  as  Cat 
Island. 

The  28th  of  the  same  month  Columbus  discovered 
Cuba,  entering  the  mouth  of  a  river  in  what  he  believed 
to  be  that  "great  land,"  of  which  he  had  heard  so 
much. 

From  the  very  beginning,  it  was  as  it  has  existed  to 
the  present  day — the  Spaniards  looked  for  gold  and 
were  determined  to  exploit  their  new  possessions  to  the 
very  last  peseta  that  could  be  wrung  from  them. 

The  island  was  first  called  Juana,  in  honor  of  Prince 
John,  son  of  Ferdinand  and  Isabella;  but,  after  Ferdi- 
nand's death,  it  received  the  name  of  Fernandina.  Sub- 
sequently, it  was  designated,  after  Spain's  patron  saint, 
Santiago,  and  still  later  Ave  Maria,  in  honor  of  the 
Virgin. 

Finally  it  received  its  present  name,  the  one  original- 
ly bestowed  upon  it  by  the  natives.     Cuba  means   * '  the 


lO  DISCOVERY    AND    EARLY    HISTORY. 

place  of  gold, ' '  and  Spain  has  constantly  kept  this  in 
mind,  both  theoretically  and  practically. 

At  first,  however,  the  answers  received  in  Cuba  in  re- 
ply to  the  questions  of  her  discoverers  as  to  the  exist- 
ence of  gold  were  not  satisfactory.  It  seemed  as  if  this 
ne  plus  ultra  to  the  Spaniards  was  to  be  found  in  a 
neighboring  and  larger  island,  which  has  been  known 
by  the  various  names  of  Hayti,  Hispaniola  and  Santo 
Domingo.  The  prospect  of  enrichment  here  was  so  in- 
viting that  the  first  settlement  of  Spain  in  the  New 
World  was  made  in  Hayti. 

The  aborigines  seem  to  have  made  no  resistance  to 
the  coming  among  them  of  a  new  race  of  people.  They 
were  apparently  peaceful  and  kindly,  dwelling  in  a 
state  of  happy  tranquillity  among  themselves. 

Their  character  is  best  demonstrated  by  an  extract 
from  a  letter  written  by  Columbus  to  their  Catholic  ma- 
jesties, Ferdinand  and  Isabella: 

"The  king  having  been  informed  of  our  misfortune 
expressed  great  grief  for  our  loss  and  immediately  sent 
aboard  all  the  people  in  the  place  in  many  large  canoes; 
we  soon  unloaded  the  ship  of  everything  that  was  upon 
deck,  as  the  king  gave  us  great  assistance;  he  himself, 
with  his  brothers  and  relations,  took  all  possible  care 
that  everything  should  be  properly  done,  both  aboard 
and  on  shore.  And,  from  time  *o  time,  he  sent  some  of 
his  relations  weeping,  to  beg  of  me  not  to  be  dejected, 
for  he  would  give  me  all  that  he  had.  I  can  assure  your 
highnesses  that  so  much  care  would  not  have  been  taken 
in  securing  our  effects  in  any  part  of  Spain,    as   all   our 


DISC0VE;RY    and    KARI^Y    history.  II 

propert}'  was  put  toegther  iu  one  place  near  his  palace, 
until  the  houses  which  he  wanted  to  prepare  for  the 
custody  of  it  were  emptied.  He  immediately  placed  a 
guard  of  armed  men,  who  watched  during  the  whole 
night,  and  those  on  shore  lamented  as  if  they  had  been 
much  interested  in  our  loss.  The  people  are  so  affection- 
ate, so  tractable  and  so  peaceable,  that  I  swear  to  your 
highnesses  that  there  is  not  a  better  race  of  men  nor  a 
better  country  in  the  world.  They  love  their  neighbor 
as  themselves,  their  conversation  is  the  sweetest  and 
mildest  in  the  world,  cheerful  and  always  accompanied 
by  a  smile.  And  although  it  is  true  that  they  go  naked, 
yet  your  highnesses  may  be  assured  that  they  have 
many  very  commendable  customs;  the  king  is  served 
with  great  state,  and  his  behavior  is  so  decent  that  it  is 
pleasant  to  see  him,  as  it  is  likewise  the  wonderful 
memory  which  these  people  have,  and  their  desire  of 
knowing  everything  which  leads  them  to  inquire  into 
its  causes  and  effects." 

Strange  and  far  from  pleasant  reading  this  in  the 
light  of  future  events.  By  so-called  savages  the  invad- 
ing Spaniards  were  treated  with  the  utmost  kindness 
and  courtesy,  while  many  generations  later  the  descend- 
ants of  these  same  Spaniards,  on  this  same  island, 
visited  nothing  but  cruelty  and  oppression  upon  those 
unfortunates  who  after  all  were  of  iheir  own  flesh  and 
blood. 

As  has  been  said,  the  first  settlement  of  the  Spaniards 
was  made  on  the  island  of  Hayti.  But  the  dreams  of 
enormous  revenue  were  not   realized,  in  spite  of  the  fact 


^ 


12  DISCOVERY   AND   EARI,Y   HISTORY. 

that  the  natives  were  men,  women  and  children  reduced 
to  slavery,  and  all  the  work  that  was  possible,  without 
regard  to  any  of  the  dictates  of  humanity,  was  exacted 
from  them.  In  spite  of  the  fact,  did  we  say?  No,  rather 
because  of  it.  For,  owing  to  the  hardships  inflicted 
upon  them,  the  native  population,  which  originally  was 
considerably  over  a  million,  was  reduced  to  some  fifty 
thousand,  and  it  was  therefore  impossible  to  extract 
from  the  earth  the  riches  it  contained.  Thus,  does  un- 
bridled greed  ever  overleap  itself. 

After  its  discovery,  Cuba  was  twice  visited  by  Co- 
lumbus, in  April,  1494,  and  again  in  1502,  but  these 
visits  do  not  seem  to  have  been  productive  of  any  par- 
ticular results. 

It  was  not  until  15 II  that  the  Spaniards  thought  it 
worth  while  to  colonize  Cuba,  and  only  then  because 
they  believed  that  they  had  exhausted  the  resources  of 
Hayti,  in  other  words,  that  that  particular  orange  had 
been  sucked  dry. 

Therefore  they  sent  a  band  of  three  hundred  men  un- 
der Diego  Velasquez,  who  had  accompanied  Columbus 
on  his  second  voyage,  to  make  a  settlement  on  the 
island. 

Velasquez  and  his  companions  found  the  natives 
peaceful  and  happy,  ruled  over  by  nine  independent 
chiefs.  They  met  with  but  little  resistance,  and  that 
little  was  easily  overcome.  Soon  the  weak  and  guileless 
Indians  were  completely  subjugated. 

There  was  one  instance  which  it  is  well  worth  while 
tc  relate  here  as  showing  the  Spanish  character,  which 


DISCOVERY   AND   EARLY   HISTORY.  1 3 

centuries  have  not   changed,  and  which  is  as    cruel  and 
bloodthirsty  to-daj'  as  it  was  then. 

There  was  one  native  chief,  a  refugee  from  Hayti, 
named  Hatuey,  who  had  had  previous  dealings  with  the 
Spaniards,  and  knew  what  was  to  be  expected  from 
them.  He  had  strongly  opposed  their  invasion,  was  cap- 
tured, and  sentenced  to  be  burned  alive  at  the  stake. 
As  the  flames  curled  about  him,  a  Franciscan  monk 
held  up  a  crucifix  before  him,  urging  him  to  abjure 
the  impotent  gods  of  his  ancestors  and  embrace  Chris- 
tianity. 

Hatury,  knowing  well  that  his  conversion  would  not 
save  him  from  a  horrible  death,  and  remembering  all 
the  atrocities  he  had  seen  committed,  asked  where 
Heaven  was  and  if  there  were  many  Spaniards  there. 

"A  great  many  of  them,"  answered  the  monk. 

"Then,"  cried  Hatury,  "I  will  not  go  to  a  place 
where  I  may  meet  one  of  that  accursed  race.  I  prefer  to 
go  elsewhere." 

Hatury's  death  ended  all  rebellion,  if  struggling  for 
one's  rights  can  be  rebellion,  and  the  iron  hand  of 
tyranny,  whose  grasp  has  never  since  been  relaxed,  closed 
firmly  upon  the  beautiful  island. 

Three  hundred  of  the  natives  were  given  as  slaves  to 
each  Spaniard,  but,  as  in  Hayti,  it  was  found  that  they 
were  not  strong  enough  for  the  enormous  tasks  their 
masters  would  have  imposed  upon  them.  So  negro 
slaves  were  imported  from  the  mother  country,  and 
their  descendants  remained  in  the  bonds  of  serfdom  for 
centuries. 


14  DISCOVERY    AND    EARLY   HISTORY. 

The  first  permanent  settlement  was  made  at  Santiago 
de  Cuba,  on  the  Southeastern  coast,  the  scene  of  Ad- 
miral Sampson's  recent  brilliant  achievements,  and  this 
was  for  a  long  time  the  capital  of  the  colony.  Then 
came  Trinidad,  and  in  15 15  a  town  was  started  called 
San  Cristoval  de  la  Habana,  which  name  was  trans- 
ferred four  years  later  to  the  present  capital,  the  first 
named  place  being  rechristened  Batabana. 

The  natives  were  treated  with  the  utmost  cruelty,  so 
cruelly,  in  fact,  that  they  were  practically  exterminated. 
Only  a  comparatively  few  years  after  the  settlement  of 
the  island  there  were  scarcely  any  of  them  left.  The  re- 
sult of  this  short  sighted  policy  on  the  part  of  Spain 
was  that  agriculture  declined  to  an  enormous  extent, 
and  Cuba  became  virtually  a  pastoral  countr}^ 

In  1537,  the  king  appointed  as  captain-general  Her- 
nando de  Soto,  the  picturesque  adventurer,  who  was 
afterwards  famous  as  the  discoverer  of  the  Mississippi 
and  for  his  romantic  search  for  the  fountain  of  eternal 
youth. 

All  powers,  both  civil  and  military,  were  vested  in 
the  captain-general,  the  title  bestowed  upon  the  govern- 
ors, although  many  of  them  were  civilians. 

Shortly  after  this  appointment,  Havana  was  reduced 
to  ashes  by  a  French  privateer,  and  De  Soto  built  for 
the  city's  protection  the  Castillo  de  la  Fuerza,  a  fortress 
which  still  exists.  But  this  precaution  proved  ineffec- 
tual, as  in  1554,  the  city  which  had  gained  considerably 
in  importance,  as  it  had  now  become  the  capital,  was 
again  attacked  and  partially  destroyed  by    the    French. 


DISCOVERY    AND    EARLY    HISTORY,  1 5 

Two  other  fortresses  were  then  constructed,  the  Punta 
and  the  Morro. 

The  discovery  of  Mexico  and  other  countries  drew 
away  from  the  island  the  majority  of  its  working  popu- 
lation, and  the  government  passed  a  law  imposing  the 
penalty  of  death  upon  all  who  left  it. 

Spain  also  imposed  the  heaviest  trade  restrictions 
upon  Cuba.  It  was  exploited  in  every  direction  for  the 
benefit  of  the  mother  country  and  to  the  exclusion  of 
every  one  else.  All  foreigners,  and  even  Spaniards  not 
natives  of  Castile,  were  prohibited  from  trading  with 
the  island  or  settling  in  it. 

The  consequence  was  that  the  increase  of  population 
was  slow,  the  introduction  of  negroes,  whose  labor  was 
most  essential  for  prosperity,  was  gradual,  and  the 
progress  and  growth  of  the  island  were  almost  stopped. 

Moreover,  Spain  was  ruler  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
Atlantic,  and  a  most  despotic  ruler  she  proved  herself  to 
be.  Numerous  tales  are  told  of  ihe  atrocities  committed 
upon  navigators,  especially  those  of  England. 

When  Cromwell,  who  caused  many  liberal  ideas  to  be 
introduced  into  England,  tried  to  induce  Spain  to  abol- 
ish the  Inquisition  and  to  allow  the  free  navigation  of 
the  Atlantic,  the  Spanish  ambassador  replied : 

"For  my  master  to  relinquish  those  prerogatives 
would  be  the  same  as  to  put  out  both  his  eyes." 

One  instance  of  Spain's  cruelty,  for  which,  however, 
she  suffered  a  well-merited  retribution,  may  be  related 
here.  In  1564,  a  party  of  French  Huguenots  settled  in 
Florida  near  the  mouth  of  the  river  St.  John.    A  certain 


1 6  DlSCOV:eRY   AND   BARI,Y   HiSTORV. 

Menendez,  who  was  sailing  under  orders  to  ' '  gibbet  and 
behead  all  Protestants  in  those  regions, ' '  fell  upon  the 
colonists  and  massacred  all  he  could  find.  Some  of 
the  settlers,  who  happened  to  be  away  at  the  time, 
shortly  afterward  fell  into  the  hands  of  Menendez,  who 
hanged  them  all,  placing  this  inscription  above  their 
heads:  "Not  as  Frenchmen,  but  as  heretics."  In  1567, 
however,  a  French  expedition  surprised  a  body  of  Span- 
iards who  had  undertaken  to  found  St,  Augustine,  and 
in  their  turn  hanged  these  settlers,  ' '  Not  as  Spaniards, 
but  as  murderers. ' ' 

Hampered  and  oppressed  as  they  were,  deprived  of  a 
free  and  convenient  market  for  the  produce  of  the  soil 
by  reason  of  the  monopolies  imposed  by  the  mother 
country,  it  is  not  strange  that  the  Cubans  had  recourse 
to  smuggling,  and  this  was  especially  the  case  after  the 
British  conquest  of  Jamaica  in  1655.  So  universal  did 
the  practice  become,  that  when  Captain-General  Valdez 
arrived,  he  found  that  nearly  all  the  Havanese  were 
guilty  of  the  crime  of  illicit  trading,  the  punishment  of 
which  was  death.  At  the  suggestion  of  Valdez,  a  ship 
was  freighted  with  presents  for  the  king,  and  sent  to 
Spain  with  a  petition  for  pardon,  which  was  finally 
granted. 

But  the  whole  of  Europe  was  against  Spain  in  her 
arrogant  assumption  of  the  suzerainty  of  the  New 
World.  Especially  were  her  pretensions  condemned  and 
resisted  by  the  English,  French,  Portuguese  and  Dutch, 
all  of  whom  were  engaged  in  colonizing  different  por- 
tions of  America.    Then  arose  a  body  of  men,  who  were 


DISCOVBJRY   AND   BARI.Y   HIST^ORY.  I'J 

productive  of  most  important  results.  These  were  known 
as  buccaneers,  and  were  practically  a  band  of  piratical 
adventurers  of  different  nationalities,  united  in  their  op- 
position to  Spain. 

Hayti,  as  has  already  been  intimated,  had  been  almost 
depopulated  by  the  oppressive  colonial  policy  of  Spain. 
The  island  had  become  the  home  of  immense  herds  of 
wild  cattle,  and  it  was  the  custom  of  the  smugglers  to 
stop  there  to  provision  their  ships. 

The  natives,  which  were  still  left,  had  learned  to  be 
skilled  in  preserving  the  meat  by  means  of  fire  and 
smoke,  and  they  called  their  kilns  "boucans."  The 
smugglers,  besides  obtaining  what  they  desired  for  their 
own  use  of  this  preserved  meat,  established  an  extensive 
illicit  trade  in  it.  Hence,  they  obtained  the  name  of 
buccaneers. 

Spanish  monopolies  were  the  pest  of  every  port  in 
the  New  World,  and  mariners  of  the  western  waters 
were  filled  with  a  detestation,  quite  natural,  of  every- 
thing Spanish. 

Gradually,  the  ranks  of  the  buccaneers  were  re- 
cruited. They  were  given  assistance  and  encourage- 
ment, direct  and  indirect,  by  other  nations,  even  in 
some  cases  being  furnished  with  letters-of-marque  and 
reprisal  as  privateers. 

The  commerce  of  Spain  had  been  gradually  dwindling 
since  the  defeat  of  the  so-called  Invincible  Armada,  and 
the  buccaneers  commenced  now  to  seize  the  returning 
treasure  ships  and  to  plunder  the  seaboard  cities  of 
Cuba  and  other  Spanish  possessions. 


l8  DISCOVERY   AND   EARLY    HISTORY. 

Even  Havana  itself  was  not  spared  by  them. 

The  buccaneers,  indefensible  though  many  of  their 
actions  were,  had  a  great  influence  upon  the  power  and 
colonial  tactics  of  Spain. 

Beyond  this,  they  opened  the  eyes  of  the  world  to  the 
rottenness  of  the  whole  system  of  Spanish  government 
and  commerce  in  America,  and  undoubtedly  did  much 
to  build  up  the  West  Indian  possessions  of  England, 
France  and  Holland. 

It  is  curious  to  note  here  the  career  of  one  of  their 
most  famous  leaders,  an  Englishman  named  Morgan. 
He  was  barbarous  in  the  extreme  and  returned  from 
many  expeditions  laden  •  with  spoil.  But,  finally,  he 
went  to  Jamaica,  turned  respectable  and  was  made 
deputy-governor  of  the  island.  He  died,  by  favor  of 
Charles  11.,  the  "gallant"  Sir  Henry  Morgan. 

But  in  1697,  the  European  powers  generally  con- 
demned the  buccaneers. 

In  spite  of  the  lessons  they  had  received,  and  the  uni- 
versal protest  of  other  nations,  the  Spaniards,  obstinate 
then  as  ever,  refused  to  change  their  policy.  The)'  per- 
sisted in  closing  the  magnificent  harbors  of  Cuba  to  the 
commerce  of  the  rest  of  the  w^orld,  and  that,  too,  when 
Spain  could  not  begin  to  use  the  products  of  the  island. 
Still  she  could  not  and  would  not  allow  one  bit  of  gold 
to  slip  from  between  her  fingers.  She  has  alwaj's  held 
on  with  eager  greed  to  all  that  she  could  lay  her  hands 
on.  It  is  certainly  food  for  the  unrestrained  laughter  of 
gods  and  men  that  she  has  recently  been  sneering  at  the 
United  States  as  a  nation  of  traders  and  money  grubbers. 


THE  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S  GRATITUDE.       1 9 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE   BRITISH   OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S   GRATITUDE. 

In  the  early  years  of  the  eighteenth  century,  Cuba  was 
more  or  less  at  peace,  that  is  so  far  as  Spain,  a  degener- 
ate mother  of  a  far  more  honorable  daughter,  would  al- 
low her  to  be  at  peace,  and  she  increased  in  population, 
and,  to  a  certain  extent,  in  material  prosperity. 

But  in  17 17,  a  revolt  broke  out,  a  revolt  which  was 
thoroughly  justified. 

Spain  felt  that  the  agricultural  wealth  of  the  island 
was  increasing,  and  she  desired  for  herself  practically 
the  whole  of  the  advantages  which  accrued  from  it. 

Therefore,  she  demanded  a  royal  monopoly  of  the  to- 
bacco trade.  This  demand  was  strenuously  and  bitterly 
opposed  by  the  Cubans. 

The  Captain-General,  Raja,  was  obliged  to  flee,  but 
finally  the  trouble  was  ended,  and  Spain,  by  might  far 
rather  than  by  right,  had  her  way.  The  monopoly  was 
established. 

But  the  oppressive  government  led  to  another  upris- 
ing in  1723,  which  again  was  quickly  quelled.  Twelve 
of  the  leaders  were  hanged  by  Guazo,  who  was  at  that 
time  the  captain-general. 

Twice,  therefore,  did  the  one  who  was  in  the  wrong 
conquer,  simply  from  the  possession  of  superior  force. 

It  is  said  that  the    mills  of    God    grind   slowly,    but 


20      THE  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S  GRATITUDE. 

they  grind  exceeding  small.  And  in  the  light  of  recent 
events,  this  seems  to  be,  and  in  fact,  so  far  as  human  in- 
telligence can  determine,  it  is  true. 

Richard  Le  Galliene,  to-day,  toward  the  end  of  the 
nineteenth  century,  speaks  in  clarion  tones,  as  follows: 

'  'Spain  is  an  ancient  dragon. 
That  too  long  hath  curled 
Its  coils  of  blood  and  darkness 
About  the  new-born  world. 

Think  of  the  Inquisition 

Think  of  the  Netherlands ! 
Yea!  think  of  all  Spain's  bloody  deeds 

In  many  times  and  lands. 

And  let  no  feeble  pity 

Your  sacred  arms  restrain ; 
This  is  God's  mighty  moment 

To  make  an  end  of  Spain." 

About  this  time,  that  is,  from  1724  to  1747,  Cuba, 
chiefly,  if  not  almost  entirely,  at  Havana,  became  a  ship 
building  centre,  of  course,  once  more,  at  least  for  a 
time,  to  the  advantage  of  Spain.  In  all,  there  were  con- 
structed some  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  vessels, 
carrying  amongst  them  four  thousand  guns.  These 
ships  comprised  six  ships  of  the  line,  twenty-one  of 
seventy  to  eighty  guns  each,  twenty-six  of  fifty  to  sixt}^ 
guns,  fourteen  frigates  of  thirty  to  forty  guns  and  fifty- 
eight  smaller  vessels. 

But  then  Spain  became  jealous — imagine  a  parent 
jealous  of  the  success  of  its  child ! — and  the  ship-build- 
ing industry  was  peremptorily  stopped.  During  the 
present  century,  in  Cuba  only  the  machinery  of  one 
steamer,    the   Saqua,    has    been   constructed,    and   two 


THK  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S  GRATITUDE.      21 

ships,  one  a  war  steamer  and  one  a   merchant    steamer, 
have  been  built  at  Havana. 

What  a  commentary  on  the  dominating  and  destruc- 
tive policy — self -destructive  policy,  too — of  Spain ! 

In  1739,  there  arose  in  England  a  popular  excite- 
ment for  a  war  against  Spain.  One  of  the  chief  incidents 
which  led  to  this  was  an  episode  which  caused  Thomas 
Carlyle  to  call  the  strife  that  followed  "The  War  of 
Jenkins'  Ear." 

The  English  had  persisted  in  maintaining  a  trade 
with  Cuba  in  spite  of  Spain's  prohibition. 

A  certain  Captain  Jenkins,  who  was  in  command  of  an 
English  merchantman,  was  captured  by  a  Spanish 
cruiser.  His  ship  was  subjected  to  search,  and  he  him- 
self, according  to  his  own  declaration,  put  to  the  tor- 
ture. The  Spaniards,  however,  could  find  little  or  noth- 
ing of  which  to  convict  him,  and,  irritated  at  this  they 
committed  a  most  foolish  act,  a  deed  of  childish  venge- 
ance. They  cut  off  one  of  his  ears  and  told  him  to  take 
it  back  to  England  and  show  it  to  the  king. 

Jenkins  preserved  his  mutilated  ear  in  a  bottle  of 
spirits,  and,  in  due  course  of  time,  appeared  himself  be- 
fore the  House  of  Commons  and  exhibited  it  to  that 
bod)'. 

The  excitement  ensuing  upon  the  proof  of  this  outrage 
to  a  British  subject  beggars  description. 

Walpole  was  at  that  time  prime  minister,  and,  al- 
though essentially  a  man  of  peace,  he  found  it  impossi- 
ble to  stem  the  tide,  and  public  sentiment  compelled 
him  to  declare  war  against  Spain. 


22      THE)  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S  GRATITUDE. 

This  war,  however,  was  productive  of  but  little  result 
one  way  or  the  other. 

But  before  long  another  struggle  ensued,  which  was 
far  more  reaching  in  its  consequences. 

In  1756,  what  is  known  in  history  as  the  Seven  Years 
War,  broke  out.  This  seems  to  have  been  a  mere 
struggle  for  territory,  and,  besides  a  duel  between  France 
and  England,  involved  Austria,  with  its  allies,  France, 
Russia  and  the  German  princes  against  the  new  king- 
dom of  Prussia. 

This  naturally  led  to  an  alliance  between  England 
and  Prussia. 

Towards  the  end  of  the  war,  early  in  1762,  hostilities 
were  declared  against  Spain. 

An  English  fleet  and  army,  under  Lord  Albemarle, 
were  sent  to  Cuba.  The  former  consisted  of  more  than 
two  hundred  vessels  of  all  classes,  and  the  latter  of  four- 
teen thousand  and  forty-one  men. 

The  opposing  Spanish  force  numbered  twenty-seven 
thousand  six  hundred  and  ten  men. 

With  the  English,  were  a  large  number  of  Americans, 
some  of  whom  figured  later  more  or  less  prominently  in 
the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Israel  Putnam,  the  hero  of 
the  breakneck  ride  at  Horseneck,  and  General  L,yman, 
under  whom  Putnam  eventually  served,  were  among 
these,  as  was  also  Lawrence  Washington,  a  brother  of 
"The  Father  of  His  Country." 

By  the  way,  the  American  loss  in  Cuba  during  this 
campaign  was  heavy.  Very  few,  either  officers  or  men, 
ever  returned  home.      Most  of  those  who  were  spared  by 


THE)  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — ^SPAIN'S  GRATITUDE.      23 

the  Spanish  bullets  succumbed  to  the  rigors  of  the  tropi- 
cal climate,  to  which  they  were  unaccustomed  and  ill- 
prepared  for. 

May  this  experience  of  our  forefathers  in  the  last 
century  not  be  repeated  in  the  persons  of  our  brothers  of 
the  present ! 

The  defense  of  Havana  was  excessively  obstinate,  and 
the  Cuban  volunteers  covered  themselves  with  glory. 

But,  in  spite  of  the  superior  force  of  the  Spanish,  the 
English  were  finally  successful. 

Taking  all  things  into  consideration,  it  was  a  won- 
derful feat  of  arms,  one  of  which  only  the  Anglo-Saxon 
race  is  capable. 

Nevertheless,  it  was  only  after  a  prolonged  struggle 
that  the  victory  was  complete. 

At  last,  on  the  30th  of  July,  Morro  Castle  surrendered, 
and  about  two  weeks  afterward,  the  city  of  Havana 
capitulated. 

The  spoil  divided  among  the  captors  amounted  to 
about  four  million  seven  hundred  thousand  dollars. 

The  English  remained  in  possession  of  Cuba  for  some- 
thing like  six  months,  and  during  that  time  instituted 
n:any  important  and  far-reaching  reforms,  so  much  so 
in  fact  that  when  the  Spaniards  regained  possession, 
they  found  it  very  difficult  to  re-establish  their  former 
restrictive  and  tyrannous  system. 

For  instance,  the  sanitary  condition  of  Havana, 
which  was  atrocious  even  in  those  comparatively  primi- 
tive days  of  hygiene,  was  vastly  improved.  All  over  the 
island,  roads  were  opened.    During  the  time  of  the  Eng- 


24      THK  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S  GRATITUD:^. 

lish  occupation,  over  nine  hundred  loaded  vessels  en- 
tered the  port  of  Havana,  more  than  in  all  the  previous 
entries  since  the  discovery. 

The  commerce  of  the  island  improved  to  a  remarkable 
extent,  and  for  the  first  time  the  sugar  industry  began 
to  be  productive. 

If  the  British  had  remained  in  possession  of  Cuba,  it 
is  probable  that  that  unhappy  island  would  have  been 
spared  much  of  its  misery  and  would  have  been  as  con- 
tented, prosperous  and  loyal  as  Canada  is  to-day. 

It  really  seemed  as  if  an  era  of  prosperity  had  begun, 
when  by  the  treaty  of  Paris,  in  February,  1763,  most  of 
the  conquests  made  during  the  Seven  Years'  War  were 
restored  to  their  original  owners,  and  among  them  un- 
fortunately in  the  light  of  both  past  and  future  events, 
Cuba  to  the  misrule  of  the  Spaniards. 

England,  however,  was  eminently  the  gainer  by  this 
treaty,  as  she  received  from  France  all  the  territory 
formerly  claimed  by  the  latter  east  of  the  Mississippi, 
together  with  Prince  Edward's  Island,  Cape  Breton,  St. 
Vincent,  Dominica,  Minorca  and  Tobago.  In  return  for 
Cuba,  Spain  ceded  to  England  Florida,  while  the  Spanish 
government  received  L^ouisiana  from  France.  On  the 
other  hand,  Martinique,  Guadeloupe,  Pondicherry  and 
Goree  were  returned  to  France. 

It  was  impossible  for  the  Spanish  to  undo  in  a  day  all 
the  good  that  the  English  rule,  short  though  it  was, 
had  accomplished. 

Moreover,  it  was  more  than  fortunate  for  Cuba  that 
there  followed  not  long  after    two  governors    of    more 


THB  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S  GRATITUDE.       25 

than  ordinary  ability  and  humanity,  both  of  whom  had 
her  interests  at  heart,  and  they  caused  a  period  of  un- 
wonted prosperity,  most  grateful  to  the  Cubans,  to  fol- 
low. 

The  first  of  these  governors,  or  to  give  them  their 
rightful  title,  captain-generals,  was  L,uis  de  I^as  Casas, 
who  was  appointed  in  1790. 

Now,  for  the  first  time  in  her  history,  Cuba  really 
made  rapid  progress  in  commercial  prosperity  as  well 
as  in  public  improvements.  Las  Casas  developed  all 
branches  of  industry,  allowed  the  establishment  of  news- 
papers, and  gave  his  aid  to  the  patriotic  societies. 

He  also  introduced  the  culture  of  indigo,  removed  as 
far  as  his  powers  permitted  the  old  trammels,  which  an 
iniquitous  system  had  placed  upon  trade,  and  made 
noble  efforts  to  bring  about  the  emancipation  of  the  en- 
slaved Indian  natives. 

His  attitude  toward  the  newly  established  republic  of 
the  United  States  was  most  generous,  and  this  helped 
largely  to  develop  the  industry  of  the  island. 

By  his  judicious  administration,  the  tranquillity  of 
Cuba  remained  undisturbed  during  the  time  of  the  re- 
bellion in  Hayti,  and  this  in  face  of  the  fact  that  strenu- 
ous efforts  were  made  by  the  French,  to  form  a  conspir- 
acy and  bring  about  an  uprising  among  the  free  people 
of  color  in  Cuba. 

Another  thing  that  will  redound  forever  to  the  credit 
of  Las  Casas  and  which  should  make  his  memory  beloved 
b)'  all  Americans — it  was  through  his  efforts  that  the 
body  of  Columbus  was  removed  from  Hayti  where  it  had 


26      THK  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S  GRATITUDE). 

been  entombed  and  deposited  in  its  present  resting-place 
in  the  Cathedral  of  Havana. 

In  1796,  Las  Casas  was  succeeded  by  another  just  and 
philanthropic  governor,  the  Count  of  Santa  Clara.  The 
latter  greatly  improved  the  fortifications  which  then 
guarded  the  island  and  constructed  a  large  number  of 
others,  among  them  the  Bateria  de  Santa  Clara,  just 
outside  Havana,  and  named  in  his  honor. 

It  was  undoubtedly  due  in  a  very  great  measure  to 
the  kindly  policies  of  these  two  noble  and  far  seeing 
men  that  Cuba  at  that  time  became  confirmed  in  her 
allegiance  to  the  mother  country;  and  had  they  been 
followed  by  men  of  equal  calibre  of  both  mind  and 
heart,  it  is  more  than  probable  that  the  history  of  Cuba 
would  have  been  devoid  of  stirring  events.  For,  as  the 
old  saying  has  it:     "Happy  nations  have  no  history." 

In  1795  a  number  of  French  emigrants  arrived  from 
San  Domingo,  and  proved  a  valuable  acquisition. 

In  1802,  a  disastrous  fire  occurred  in  a  suburb  of  Ha- 
vana, called  Jesu  Maria,  and  over  eleven  thousand  four 
hundred  people  were  rendered  destitute  and  homeless. 

About  this  time,  the  star  of  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  the 
greatest  of  heroes  or  the  greatest  of  adventurers,  accord- 
ing to  the  point  of  view,  was  in  the  ascendant.  Almost 
without  exception  there  was  not  a  country  in  Europe 
that  had  not  felt  the  weight  of  his  heavy  hand,  and,  to 
all  intents  and  purposes,  he  was  the  master  of  the  conti- 
nent. 

Spain  was  by  no  means  to  escape  his  greed  for  con- 
quest and  power. 


The;  British  occupation — Spain's  gratitude;.     27 

Her  country  was  overrun  and  ravaged  by  his  victori- 
ous armies.  Her  reigning  family  was  driven  away. 
Napoleon  deposed  the  descendant  of  a  long  line  of  Bour- 
bons, Ferdinand  VII.,  and  placed  his  own  brother, 
Joseph  Bonaparte,  upon  the  throne. 

Then  the  attitude  and  the  action  of  Cuba  were  superb. 
Her  loyalty  was  unwavering.  Every  member  of  the 
provincial  council  declared  his  fidelity  to  the  old 
dynasty,  and  took  an  oath  to  defend  and  preserve  the 
island  for  its  legitimate  sovereign. 

More  than  this — the  Cubans  followed  this  declaration 
up  by  deeds,  which  ever  speak  louder  than  mere  words. 
They  made  numerous  voluntar)'  subscriptions,  they 
published  vehement  pamphlets,  and  they  sent  their 
sons  to  fight  and  shed  their  blood  for  the  agonized 
mother  country. 

For  this,  Cuba  received  the  title  of  ' '  The  Ever  Faithful 
Isle,"  by  which  it  has  been  known  ever  since. 

A  very  pretty  compliment  truly !  But  let  us  see  in 
what  other  and  more  substantial  ways  was  Cuba's  mag- 
nificent fidelity  rewarded. 

The  answer  is  as  brief  as  it  is  true.  In  no  way  what- 
ever. 

Many  promises  were  made  at  the  time  bj'  the  Pro- 
visional Government  at  Seville,  chief  among  them  be- 
ing that  all  Spanish  subjects  everywhere  should  have 
equal  rights.  But  not  one  of  these  promises  was  ever 
kept. 

On  the  contrary,  it  was  not  long  before  the  oppression 
became  greater  than  ever.     There   were  deprivation  of 


28      TH^  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAlN*S  GRATITUDE. 

political,  civil  and  religious  liberty,  an  exclusion  of  the 
islanders  from  all  public  ofl&ces,  and  a  heavy  and  in- 
iquitous taxation  to  maintain  the  standing  army  and 
navy. 

Clothed  as  they  were  with  the  powers  of  an  Oriental 
despot,  most  of  the  captain-generals  from  Spain  covered 
themselves  with  infamy,  the  ofl&ce  as  a  rule  having  been 
sought  (and  this  was  distinctly  realized  by  the  Spanish 
government)  only  as  an  end  and  means  to  acquire  a  per- 
sonal fortune. 

To  realize  the  practically  absolute  authority  given  to 
the  captain-generals,  it  is  only  necessar)'  to  read  the 
royal  decree  promulgated  after  Joseph  Bonaparte  had 
been  deposed  and  the  Bourbon  king,  Ferdinand,  restored 
to  the  throne. 

A  portion  of  this  amazing  document  is  as  follows : 

' '  His  majesty,  the  king  our  Lord,  desiring  to  obviate 
the  inconveniences  that  might,  in  extraordinary  cases, 
result  from  a  division  of  command,  and  from  the  inter- 
ferences and  prerogatives  of  the  respective  officers :  for 
the  important  end  of  preserving  in  that  precious  island 
his  legitimate  sovereign  authority  and  the  public  tran- 
quility, through  proper  means,  has  resolved,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  opinion  of  his  council  of  ministers,  to 
give  to  your  excellency  the  fullest  authority,  bestowing 
upon  you  all  the  powers  which  by  the  royal  ordinances 
are  granted  to  the  governors  of  besieged  cities.  In  con- 
sequence of  this  his  majesty  gives  to  your  excellency 
the  most  ample  and  unbounded  power,  not  only  to  send 
away  from  the  island  any   persons    in    office,    whatever 


THE  BRITISH  OCCUPATION — SPAIN'S  GRATlTUDEj.      29 

their  occupation,  rank,  class  or  condition,  whose  con- 
tinuance therein  your  excellency  may  deem  injurious, 
or  whose  conduct,  public  or  private,  may  alarm  you,  re- 
placing them  with  persons  faithful  to  his  majesty,  and 
deserving  of  all  the  confidence  of  your  excellency ;  but 
also  to  suspend  the  execution  of  any  order  whatsoever, 
or  any  general  provision  made  concerning  any  branch 
of  the  administration  as  your  excellency  may  think 
most  suitable  to  the  royal  service." 

For  over  one  hundred  and  seventy  years  these  orders 
have  received  little  or  no  change,  and  they  still  remain 
practically  the  supreme  law  of  Cuba. 

This  was  the  way  that  magnanimous,  grateful,  chival- 
rous Spain  began  to  reward  ' '  The  Ever  Faithful  Isle' ' 
for  its  unparalleled  loyalty  and  devotion. 

And  Heaven  save  the  mark !  this  was  only  the  begin- 
ning. 

" That  precious  island,"  says  the  royal  decree.  Pre- 
cious !  There  was  never  a  truer  word  spoken.  For  Spain 
has  always  loved  Cuba  with  a  fanatical,  gloating 
passion,  as  the  fox  loves  the  goose,  as  Midas  loved 
gold,  and  as  in  in  the  case  of  Midas,  this  love  has  event- 
ually led  to  her  destruction. 


3©  Cuba's  kari.y  struggles  for  liberty. 


CHAPTER  III. 

CUBA'S   EARLY   STRUGGLES    FOR    LIBERTY. 

It  was  in  1813  that  the  Bonapartist  regime  came  to  an 
end  in  Spain,  and  Ferdinand  VII.  reascended  the 
throne.  In  the  very  beginning  he  paid  no  attention  to 
the  Constitution ;  he  dissolved  the  Cortes  and  did  his 
best  to  make  his  monarchy  an  absolute  one. 

Again,  as  has  been  said,  Cuba  felt  the  yoke  of  his 
despotism,  all  previous  promises,  when  the  aid  of  the 
island  was  to  his  advantage,  being  as  completely  ig- 
nored as  if  they  had  never  been  made. 

In  Spanish  America,  revolutionary  movements  had 
been  begun  some  three  years  before,  and  after  stubborn 
warfare,  Buenos  Ayres,  Venezuela  and  Peru  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  complete  independence  from  Span- 
ish authority. 

From  all  these  countries,  swarms  of  Spanish  loyalists 
made  their  way  to  Cuba,  and  were  ordered  to  be  main- 
tained at  the  expense  of  the  island. 

Spain  also  desired  to  make  of  Cuba  a  military  station, 
whence  she  could  direct  operations  in  her  efforts  to  re- 
conquer the  new  republic.  This  plan  was  vehemently 
opposed  by  the  Cubans. 

Discontent  rapidly  fomented  and  increased  through- 
out the  island.  Numerous  secret  political  societies  were 
formed,  and  there  arose  two  great  opposing  factions,  the 


CUBA'S  EARLY  STRUGGLES  FOR  LIBERTY.  3I 

one  insisting  that  the  liberal  constitution  granted  by 
the  Provisional  Government  of  Seville  at  the  time  the 
Bourbon  king  was  deposed  should  be  the  fundamental 
law  of  Cuba,  while  the  other  proclaimed  its  partisanship 
of  rigid  colonial  control. 

In  182 1,  Hayti  declared  its  independence  of  Spain, 
and  in  the  same  year  Florida  passed  into  the  possession 
of  the  United  States. 

Both  these  events  increased  the  feeling  of  unrest  and 
discontent  in  Cuba,  and  this  was  further  augmented  by 
the  establishment  of  a  permanent  military  commission, 
which  took  cognizance  of  even  ordinary  offences,  but 
particularly  of  all  offenses  against  disloyalty. 

An  attempt  at  revolution,  the  purpose  being  the  estab 
lishment  of  a  republic,  was  made  in  1823  by  the  "Soles 
de  Bolivar"  association.  It  was  arranged  that  uprisings 
should  take  place  simultaneously  in  several  of  the 
Cuban  cities,  but  the  plans  became  known  to  the  govern- 
ment and  the  intended  revolution  was  nipped  in  the  bud, 
all  the  leaders  being  arrested  and  imprisoned  the  very 
day  on  which  it  had  been  arranged  to  declare  independ- 
ence. 

In  1826  Cuban  refugees  in  Mexico  and  in  some  of  the 
South  American  republics  planned  an  invasion  of  Cuba 
to  be  led  by  Simon  Bolivar,  the  great  liberator  of  Co- 
lombia, but  it  came  to  nothing,  owing  to  the  impossi- 
bility of  securing  adequate  support  both  of  men  and 
money. 

A  year  or  two  later  these  same  men  attempted  another 
uprising  in  the  interests  of  greater  privileges   and  free- 


32  CUBA'S  KARLY  STRUGGI^KS  FOR  I^IBBRTY. 

dom.  A  secret  society,  known  as  the  "Black  Eagle" 
was  organized,  with  headquarters  at  Mexico,  but  with  a 
branch  ofl5ce  and  recruiting  stations  in  the  United 
States. 

This  invasion,  however,  also  proved  abortive,  owing 
chiefly  to  the  determined  opposition  displayed  by  the 
slave-holders  both  in  the  United  States  and  Cuba.  The 
ringleaders  were  captured  and  severely  punished  by  the 
Spanish  authorities. 

The  struggles  for  freedom  had  attracted  the  attention 
of  the  people  of  the  United  States  and  were  viewed  by 
them  with  ever-increasing  interest  and  sympathy. 

After  the  acquisition  of  Florida,  the  future  of  the  is- 
land of  Cuba  became  of  more  or  less  importance  to  the 
people  of  the  United  States  and  has  remained  so  to  the 
present  day.'  As  President  Cleveland  said  in  his  message 
of  December,  1896:  "It  is  so  near  to  us  as  to  be  hardly 
separated  from  our  own  territory."  The  truth  of  this  is 
apparent  when  it  is  remembered  that  the  straits  of 
Florida  can  be  crossed  by  steamer  in  five  hours. 

It  began  to  be  feared  that  Cuba  might  fall  into  the 
hands  of  England  or  France  and  the  governments  of 
those  countries  as  well  as  that  of  Spain  were  informed 
that  such  a  disposition  of  it  would  never  be  consented 
to.  Its  position  at  the  entrance  of  the  gulf  of  Mexico 
could  not  be  disregarded.  The  American  government 
declared  its  willingness  that  it  should  remain  a  Spanish 
colony,  but  stated  it  would  never  permit  it  to  become 
the  colony  of  another  country. 

In  1825  Spain  made  a   proposition   that,  in    consider- 


Cuba's  barly  struggIvKs  for  liberty,  33 

ationof  certain  commercial  concessions  the  United  States 
should  guarantee  to  her  the  possession  of  Cuba ;  but 
this  proposition  was  declined  on  the  ground  that  such  a 
thing  would  be  contrary  to  the  established  policy  of  the 
United  States. 

One  of  the  most  important  consequences  of  Spain's 
efiForts  to  regain  possession  of  the  South  American  re- 
publics, the  independence  of  which  had  been  recognized 
by  the  United  States,  was  the  formulation  of  what  has 
since  been  known  as  the  "Monroe  Doctrine."  In  his 
message  of  December  2,  1823,  President  Monroe  promul- 
gated the  policy  of  neither  entangling  ourselves  in  the 
broils  of  Europe,  nor  suffering  the  powers  of  the  old 
world  to  interfere  with  the  affairs  of  the  new.  He 
further  declared  that  any  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
European  powers  "to  extend  their  system  to  any  por- 
tion of  this  hemisphere"  would  be  regarded  by  the 
United  States  as  "dangerous  to  our  peace  and  safety," 
and  would  accordingly  be  opposed. 

Although  since  then  there  has  been  more  or  less  fric- 
tion with  England  over  the  Monroe  doctrine,  at  that 
time  she  greatly  aided  in  its  becoming  established  as  a 
feature  of  international  law,  and  strengthened  the  posi- 
tion of  the  United  States,  by  her  recognition  of  the 
South  American  republics. 

The  Spanish  slave  code,  by  which  the  slave  trade, 
which  had  formerly  been  a  monopoly,  was  made  free, 
had  given  a  great  stimulus  to  the  importation  of  slaves. 
It  was  almost  brought  to  an  end,  however,  by  the  ener- 
getic efforts  of   Captain-General  Valdez,     But  the  in- 


34  CUBA'S  KARLY  STRUGGLES  FOR  LIBERTY. 

creased  consumption  of  sugar  in  Great  Britain,  owing  to 
reduction  of  duty  and  the  placing  of  foreign  and  British 
sugars  on  the  same  basis  gave  a  new  stimulus  to  the 
traffic;  and,  in  their  own  pecuniary  interest,  ever  more 
prominent  with  them  than  any  question  of  humanity, 
the  Spanish  relaxed  their  efforts,  and  the  slave  trade 
attained  greater  dimensions  than  ever  before. 

In  1844  there  occurred  an  uprising  which  was  more 
serious  than  any  which  had  preceded  it.  The  slaves  on 
the  sugar  plantations  in  the  neighborhood  of  Matanzas 
were  suspected  of  being  about  to  revolt.  There  was  no 
real  proof  of  this,  and  in  order  to  obtain  evidence  a 
large  number  of  slaves  were  tortured.  It  was  evident 
that  Spain  was  still  ready,  if  in  her  opinion  occasion  re- 
quired it,  to  have  recourse  to  the  barbarities  of  the  old 
Inquisitorial  days.  By  evidence  manufactured  by  such 
outrageous  methods,  one  thousand  three  hundred  and 
forty-six  persons  were  tried  and  convicted,  of  whom 
seventy-eight  were  shot,  and  the  others  punished  with 
more  or  less  severity.  Of  those  declared  guilty,  four- 
teen were  white,  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty- 
two  free  colored  persons,  and  fifty-nine  slaves. 

The  project  of  annexation  to  the  United  States  was 
first  mooted  in  1848,  after  the  proclamation  of  the 
French  republic.  The  people  of  the  slave  States,  in  view 
of  the  increasing  population  and  the  anti-slavery  feeling 
of  the  North  and  West  were  beginning  to  feel  alarmed 
as  to  the  safety  of  the  "peculiar  institution,"  and  there 
was  a  strong  sentiment  among  them  in  favor  of  annex- 
ing Cuba  and  dividing  it  up  into  slave  states.  President 


Cuba's  eari.y  sf  RUGGi.:es  for  liberty,  35 

Polk,  therefore,  authorized  the  American  minister  at 
Madrid  to  offer  one  hundred  million  dollars  for  Cuba; 
but  the  proposition  was  rejected  in  the  most  peremptory 
manner.  A  similar  proposal  was  made  ten  years  after- 
ward in  the  Senate,  but  after  a  debate  it  was  with- 
drawn. 

The  next  conspiracy,  rebellion  or  revolution  (it  has 
been  called  by  all  these  names  according  to  the  point  of 
view  and  the  sympathies  of  those  speaking  or  writing 
of  it)  broke  out  in  1848.  It  was  headed  by  Narciso 
Lopez,  who  was  a  native  of  Venezuela,  but  who  had 
served  in  the  Spanish  army,  and  had  attained  therein 
the  rank  of  major-general. 

This  was  of  considerable  more  importance  than  any  of 
the  outbreaks  that  had  preceded  it. 

The  first  attempt  of  Lopez  at  an  insurrectionary  move- 
ment was  made  in  the  centre  of  the  island.  It  proved  to 
be  unsuccessful,  but  Lopez,  with  many  of  his  adherents, 
managed  to  escape  and  reached  New  York,  where  there 
were  a  large  number  of  his  sympathizers. 

Lopez  represented  the  majority  of  the  Cuban  popula- 
tion as  dissatisfied  with  Spanish  rule,  and  eager  for  re- 
volt and  annexation  to  the  United  States. 

In  1849,  with  a  party  small  in  numbers,  he  attempted 
to  return  to  Cuba,  but  the  United  States  authorities 
prevented  him  accomplishing  his  purpose. 

He  was  undaunted  by  failure,  however,  and  the  fol- 
lowing year,  he  succeeded  in  effecting  another  organiza- 
tion and  sailed  from  New  Orleans  on  the  steamer 
Pampero,  with  a  force  which   has  been   variously  esti- 


36  Cuba's  early  struggles  for  liberty. 

mated  at  from  three  to  six  hundred  men,  the  latter  prob- 
ably being  nearer  the  truth. 

The  second  in  command  was  W.  S.  Crittenden,  a  gal- 
lant young  Kentuckian,  who  was  a  graduate  of  West 
Point,  and  who  had  earned  his  title  of  colonel  in  the 
Mexican  war. 

They  landed  at  Morillo  in  the  Vuelta  Abajo.  Here 
the  forces  were  divided;  one  hundred  and  thirty  under 
Crittenden  remained  to  guard  the  supplies,  while  IvOpez 
with  the  rest  pushed  on  into  the  interior. 

There  had  been  no  disguise  in  the  United  States  as  to 
the  object  of  this  expedition.  Details  in  regard  to  it 
had  been  freely  and  recklessly  published,  and  there  is  a 
lesson  to  be  learned  even  from  this  comparatively  trivial 
attempt  to  obtain  freedom  as  to  a  proper  censorship  of 
the  press  in  time  of  warfare. 

The  Spanish  government  was  fully  informed  before- 
hand as  to  all  the  little  army's  probable  movements. 
The  consequence  was  that  Lopez  was  surrounded  and 
his  whole  force  captured  by  the  Spanish. 

The  expected  uprising  of  the  Cuban  people,  by  the 
way,  had  not  taken  place. 

Hearing  no  news  of  his  superior  officer,  Crittenden  at 
first  made  a  desperate  attempt  to  escape  by  sea,  but,  be- 
ing frustrated  in  this,  he  took  refuge  in  the  woods. 

At  last  he  and  his  little  force,  now  reduced  to  fifty 
men,  were  forced  to  capitulate. 

The  United  States  Consul  was  asked  to  interfere  in 
the  case  of  Crittenden,  but  refused  to  do  so.  It  was  said 
at  the  time  that  there  were  two  reasons  for   this:    First, 


Cuba's  karly  sTrugglks  for  i^ibkrty.         37 

there  was  no  doubt  whatever  as  to  the  nature  of  the  ex- 
pedition, and  secondly,  the  consul,  who  does  not  appear 
to  have  been  particularly  brave,  was  alarmed  for  his 
personal  safety. 

The  trial,  if  trial  it  can  be  called,  and  condemnation 
followed  with  the  utmost,  almost  criminal,  celerity. 

In  batches  of  six,  Crittenden  and  his  fifty  brave  sur- 
viving comrades  were  shot  beneath  the  walls  of  the  fort- 
ress of  Alara. 

When  the  Spaniards  ordered  Crittenden,  as  was  the 
custom,  to  kneel  with  his  back  to  the  firing  party,  the 
heroic  young  Kentuckian  responded : 

"No !  I  will  stand  facing  them !  I  kneel  only  to  my 
God!" 

It  is  stated  that  the  bodi-^s  of  the  victims  were  muti- 
lated in  a  horrible  manner. 

Theie  was  no  inconsiderable  number  of  Cubans  who 
sympathized  with  Lopez,  but,  held  as  they  were  under  a 
stern  leash,  they  did  not  dare  to  intercede  for  him. 

He  was  garroted  at  Havana,  being  refused  the  honor- 
able death  of  a  soldier.  Some  others  of  his  comrades 
were  shot,  but  most  of  them  were  transported  for 
life. 

The  sad  fate  of  Crittenden  aroused  the  greatest  indig- 
nation and  bitterness  in  the  United  States,  but  the 
tenets  of  international  law  forbade  anything  to  be  done 
in  the  case. 

During  the  administration  of  President  Pierce,  there 
occurred  an  incident  which  threatened  at  one  time  to 
lead  to  hostilities,    and  which  was  one  of  the  first  of 


38  CUBA'S  KARLY  STRUGGLES  FOR  UBKRTY. 

the  many  incidents  that  have  embittered  the  United 
States  against  Spain  as  regards  its  administration  of 
Cuba. 

This  was  the  firing  on  the  American  steamer,  Black 
Warrior,  by  a  Spanish  man-of-war. 

The  Black  Warrior  was  a  steamer  owned  in  New 
York,  and  plying  regularly  between  that  city  and  Mo- 
bile. It  was  her  custom  both  on  her  outward  and  home- 
ward bound  trips  to  touch  always  at  Havana.  The 
custom  laws  were  then  very  stringent,  and  she  ought 
each  time  to  have  exhibited  a  manifest  of  her  cargo. 
But  still  this  was  totally  unnecessary,  as  no  portion  of 
her  cargo  was  ever  put  off  at  Havana. 

She  was  therefore  entered  and  cleared  under  the 
technical  term  of  "in  ballast."  This  was  done  nearly 
thirty  times  with  full  knowledge  and  consent  of  the 
Spanish  revenue  oflficers ;  and,  moreover  the  proceeding 
was  in  accordance  with  a  general  order  of  the  Cuban 
authorities. 

But  in  February,  1850,  the  steamer  was  stopped  and 
fired  upon  in  the  harbor  of  Havana.  The  charge  brought 
against  her  was  that  she  had  an  undeclared  cargo  on 
board.  This  cargo  was  confiscated,  and  a  fine  of  twice 
its  value  imposed.  The  commander  of  the  vessel.  Cap- 
tain Bullock,  refused  to  pay  the  fine,  and  declared  that 
the  whole  proceeding  was  "violent,  wrongful  and  in 
bad  faith." 

But,  obtaining  no  redress,  he  hauled  down  his  colors, 
and,  carrying  them  away  with  him,  left  the  vessel  as  a 
Spanish   capture.       With  his    crew  and  passengers,  he 


Cuba's  eari,y  strugglks  for  liberty.  39 

made  his  way  to  New  York,  and  reported  the  facts  to 
the  owners. 

The  latter  preferred  a  claim  for  indemnity  of  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars.  After  a  tedious  delay  of  five 
years,  this  sum  was  paid,  and  so  the  matter  ended. 

The  affair  of  the  Black  Warrior  was  one  of  the  cases 
that  led  to  the  celebrated  Ostend  Conference. 

This  conference  was  held  in  1854  at  Ostend  and  Aix- 
la-Chapelle  by  Messrs.  Buchanan,  Mason  and  Soule, 
United  States  ministers  at  London,  Paris  and  Madrid, 
and  resulted  in  what  is  known  as  the  Ostend   manifesto. 

The  principal  points  of  this  manifesto  were  as  fol- 
lows: 

"The  United  States  ought  if  possible  to  purchase 
Cuba  with  as  little  delay  as  possible. 

' '  The  probability  is  great  that  the  government  and 
Cortes  of  Spain  will  prove  willing  to  sell  it  because  this 
would  essentially  promote  the  highest  and  best  interests 
of  the  Spanish  people. 

"The  Union  can  never  enjoy  repose  nor  possess  reli- 
able securities  as  long  as  Cuba  is  not  embraced  within 
its  boundaries. 

' '  The  intercourse  which  its  proximity  to  our  coast 
begets  and  encourages  between  them  (the  inhabitants 
of  Cuba)  and  the  citizens  of  the  United  States  has,  in 
the  progress  of  time,  so  united  their  interests  and 
blended  their  fortunes  that  they  now  look  upon  each 
other  as  if  they  were  one  people  and  had  but  one  destiny. 

' '  The  system  of  immigration  and  labor  lately  organ- 
ized within  the  limits  of  the  island,  and  the  tyranny  and 


40  CUBA'S   EARLY  STRUGGLES   FOR   LIBERTY. 

Oppression  which  characterize  its  immediate  rulers, 
threaten  an  insurrection  at  every  moment  which  may 
result  in  direful  consequences  to  the  American  people. 

' '  Cuba  has  thus  become  to  us  an  unceasing  danger, 
and  a  permanent  cause  for  anxiety  and  alarm. 

"Should  Spain  reject  the  present  golden  opportunity 
for  developing  her  resources  and  removing  her  jBnancial 
embarrassments,  it  may  never  come  again. 

"Extreme  oppression,  it  is  now  universally  admitted, 
justifies  any  people  in  endeavoring  to  free  themselves 
from  the  j^oke  of  their  oppressors.  The  sufferings  which 
the  corrupt,  arbitrary  and  unrelenting  local  administra- 
tion necessaril}'-  entails  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Cuba 
cannot  fail  to  stimulate  and  keep  alive  that  spirit  of 
resistance  and  revolution  against  Spain  which  has  of 
late  years  been  so  often  manifested.  In  this  condition  of 
affairs  it  is  vain  to  expect  that  the  sympathies  of  the 
people  of  the  United  States  will  not  be  warmly  enlisted 
in  favor  of  their  oppressed  neighbors. 

' '  The  United  States  has  never  acquired  a  foot  of  terri- 
tory except  by  fair  purchase,  or,  as  in  the  case  of  Texas, 
upon  the  free  and  voluntary  application  of  the  people 
of  that  independent  State,  who  desired  to  blend  their 
destinies  with  our  own. 

' '  It  is  certain  that,  should  the  Cubans  themselves  or- 
ganize an  insurrection  against  the  Spanish  government, 
no  human  power  could,  in  our  opinion,  prevent  the 
people  and  government  of  the  United  States  from  tak- 
ing part  in  such  a  civil  war  in  support  of  their  neigh- 
bors and  friends, ' ' 


CUBA'S   EARLY  STRUGGLES   FOR   LIBERTY.  4 1 

We  have  quoted  thus  largely  from  the  Ostend  mani- 
festo, because  it  seems  to  us,  with  one  exception,  to  be 
so  pertinent  to  the  present  status  of  affairs. 

The  one  exception  is :  We  no  longer  desire  the  an- 
nexation of  Cuba.  The  present  war  is  a  holy  war.  It 
has  been  entered  into  wholly  and  entirely  from  motives 
of  philanthropy,  to  give  to  a  suffering  and  downtrodden 
people  the  blessings  of  freedom  which  we  ourselves  en- 
joy. 

Moreover,  the  manifesto  clearly  shows  that  the  causes 
of  Cuban  uprising  are  of  no  recent  date;  and  that,  be- 
fore the  United  States  rose  in  its  wrath,  it  was  patient 
and  long-suffering. 

Although  the  Senate  debated  the  questions  raised  by 
the  manifesto  for  a  long  time,  nothing  resulted  from  the 
deliberations. 

Questions  of  extraordinary  moment  were  arising  in 
our  own  country,  from  which  terrible  results  were  to 
ensue,  and  for  the  time  being,  indeed  for  years  to  come, 
everything  else  sank  into  insignificance. 

Meantime,  the  question  of  independence  was  still  be- 
ing agitated  in  Cuba. 

General  Jose  de  la  Concha,  in  anticipation  of  a  rising 
of  the  Creole  population  threatened  to  turn  the  island 
into  an  African  dependency.  He  formed  and  drilled 
black  troops,  armed  the  native  born  Spaniards  and  dis- 
armed the  Cubans.  Everything  was  got  in  readiness 
for  a  desperate  defense.  The  Cuban  junta  in  New  York 
had  enlisted  a  large  body  of  men  and  had  made  ready 
for  an   invasion.     Under  the  circumstances,    however. 


42  Cuba's  early  struggles  for  liberty. 

the  attempt  was  postponed.  Pinto  and  Estrames, 
Cubans  taken  with  arms  in  their  hands,  were  executed, 
while  a  hundred  others  were  either  condemned  to  the 
galleys  or  deported.  General  de  la  Concha's  foresight 
and  vigilance  unquestionably  prevented  a  revolution, 
and  for  his  services  he  was  created  Marquis  of  Havana. 

Then  ensued  a  period  of  comparative  quiet,  but  the 
party  of  independence  was  only  awaiting  an  opportun- 
ity to  strike. 

Long  before  this,  Spain  had  entered  upon  the  down- 
ward path.  ' '  A  whale  stranded  upon  the  coast  of  Europe, ' ' 
some  one  designated  her.  She  had  been  accumulating  a 
debt  against  her,  a  debt  which  can  never  be  repaid. 

And  she  has  no  one  to  blame  for  her  wretched  feeble, 
exhausted  condition  but  herself — her  own  obstinacy, 
selfishness  and  perversity. 

Truly,  Spain  has  changed  but  little,  and  that  only  in 
certain  outward  aspects,  since  the  time  of  Torquemada 
and  the  Inquisition.  She  is  the  one  nation  of  Europe 
that  civilization  does  not  seem  to  have  reached. 

The  magnificent  legacy  left  her  by  her  famous  son, 
Christopher  Columbus,  has  been  gradually  dissipated ; 
the  last  beautiful  jewel  in  the  crown  of  her  colonial  pos- 
sessions, the  "Pearl  of  the  Antilles"  is  about  to  be 
wrested  from  her. 

Her  case  is  indeed  a  pitiable  one,  and  yet  sympathy 
is  arrested  when  we  remember  that  her  reward  to  Co- 
lumbus for  his  magnificent  achievements  was  to  cover 
his  reputation  with  obloquy  and  load  his  person  with 
chains. 


the;  ten  years'  war.  43 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    TEN    years'    WAR. 

For  about  fourteen  years  after  1854,  the  outbreaks  in 
Cuba  were  infrequent,  and  of  little  or  no  moment.  To 
all  intents  and  purposes,  the  island  was  in  a  state  of 
tranquility. 

In  September,  1868,  a  revolution  broke  out  in  the 
mother  country,  the  result  of  which  was  that  Queen 
Isabella  was  deposed  from  the  throne  and  forced  to  flee 
the  country. 

This  time  Cuba  did  not  proclaim  her  loyalty  to  the 
Bourbon  dynasty,  as  she  had  done  some  sixty  years  be- 
fore. She  had  learned  her  lesson.  She  knew  now  how 
Spanish  sovereigns  rewarded  loyalty,  and  the  fall  of  Isa- 
bella, instead  of  inspiring  the  Cubans  with  sympathy, 
caused  them  to  rush  into  a  revolution,  an  action  which, 
paradoxical  as  it  may  seem,  was  somewhat  precipitate, 
although  long  contemplated. 

All  Cuba  had  been  eagerly  looking  forward  to  the  in- 
auguration of  political  reforms,  or  to  an  attempt  to  shake 
off  the  pressing  yoke  of  Spain.  At  first  it  was  thought 
that  the  new  government  would  ameliorate  the  condi- 
tion of  Cuba,  and  so  change  affairs  that  the  island  might 
remain  contentedly  connected  with  a  country  of  which 
she  had  so  long  formed  a  part. 

But  these  hopes  were  soon    dissipated,    and   the  ad- 


44  THE    TEN   YKARS'    WAR. 

vanced  party  of  Cuba  at  once  matured  their  plans  for 
the  liberation  of  the  island  from  the  military  despotism 
of  Spain. 

A  declaration  of  Cuban  independence  was  issued  at 
Manzanillo  in  October,  1868,  by  Carlos  Manuel  de 
Cespedes,  a  lawyer  of  Bayamo. 

This  declaration  began  as  follows: 

"As  Spain  has  many  a  time  promised  us  Cubans  to  re- 
spect our  rights,  without  having  fulfilled  her  promises; 
as  she  continues  to  tax  us  heavily,  and  by  so  doing  is 
likely  to  destroy  our  wealth ;  as  we  are  in  danger  of  los- 
ing our  property,  our  lives  and  our  honor  under  further 
Spanish  dominion,  therefore,  etc.,  etc." 

Thus  was  inaugurated  what  was  destined  to  prove  the 
most  protracted  and  successful  attempt  at  Cuban  free- 
dom, up  to  that  time. 

It  is  certain  that  the  grievances  of  the  islanders  were 
many,  and  this  was  even  recongized  to  a  certain  extent 
in  Spain  itself. 

In  a  speech  delivered  by  one  of  the  Cuban  deputies  to 
the  Cortes  in  1866  occurs  this  passage: 

" I  foresee  a  catastrophe  near  at  hand,  in  case  Spain 
persists  in  remaining  deaf  to  the  just  reclamations  of  the 
Cubans.  Look  at  the  old  colonies  of  the  American  con- 
tinent. All  have  ended  in  conquering  their  indepen- 
dence. Let  Spain  not  forget  the  lesson;  let  the  govern - 
ment  be  just  to  the  colonies  that  remain.  Thus  she  will 
consolidate  her  dominion  over  people  who  only  aspire 
to  be  good  sous  of  a  worthy  mother,  but  who  are  not 
willing  to  live  as  slaves  under  the  sceptre  of  a  tyrant." 


THK  TEN  years'    WAR.  45 

In  1868  the  annual  revenue  exacted  from  Cuba  by 
Spain  was  in  the  neighborhood  of  twenty-six  million 
dollars ;  and  plans  were  in  progress  by  which  even  this 
great  revenue  was  to  be  largely  increased.  Not  one 
penny  of  this  was  applied  to  Cuba's  advantage.  On  the 
contrar}',  it  was  expended  in  a  manner  which  was 
simply  maddening  to  the  Cubans. 

The  officials  of  the  island,  be  it  understood,  were  in- 
variably Spaniards.  The  captain-general  received  a  sal- 
ary of  fifty  thousand  dollars  a  year ;  at  this  time,  this 
sum  was  twice  as  much  as  that  paid  to  the  President  of 
the  United  States.  The  provincial  governors  obtained 
twelve  thousand  dollars  each,  while  the  Archbishop  of 
Santiago  de  Cuba  and  the  Bishop  of  Havana  were  paid 
eighteen  thousand  dollars  apiece.  In  addition  to  these 
large  salaries,  there  were  perquisites  which  probably 
amounted  to  as  much  again. 

Even  the  lowest  offices  were  filled  by  friends  of 
Spanish  politicians.  These  officials  had  no  sympathj'- 
with  Cuba,  and  cared  nothing  for  her  welfare,  save  in  so 
far  as  they  were  enabled  to  fill  their  own  pockets. 

The  stealing  in  the  custom  houses  was  enormous.  It 
has  been  estimated  at  over  fifty  per  cent  of  the  gross 
receipts.  Every  possible  penny  was  forced  from  tiie 
native  planters  under  the  guise  of  taxes  and  also  by  the 
most  flagrant  blackmail. 

By  a  system  of  differential  duties,  Spain  still  man- 
aged to  retain  a  monopoly  of  the  trade  to  Cuba  while 
the  colonists  were  forced  to  pay  the  highest  possible 
rates  for  all  they  received  from  the  mother  country 


46  th:^  ten  years'  war. 

The  rates  of  postage  were  absurdly  outrageous.  For 
instance  there  was  an  extra  charge  for  delivery.  When 
a  native  Cuban  received  a  prepaid  letter  at  his  own 
door,  he  was  obliged  to  pay  thirty-seven  and  a  half 
cents  additional  postage. 

The  taxes  on  flour  were  so  high  that  wheaten  bread 
ceased  to  be  an  article  of  ordinary  diet.  The  annual  con- 
sumption of  bread  in  Spain  was  four  hundred  pounds 
for  each  person,  while  in  Cuba,  it  was  only  fifty-three 
pounds,  nine  ounces.  In  fact,  all  the  necessaries  of  life 
were  burdened  with  most  iniquitous  taxation. 

Then  again  there  was  the  interest  on  the  national 
debt.  While  the  Spaniards  paid  three  dollars  and  twen- 
t3^-three  cents  per  capita,  six  dollars  and  thirty-nine 
cents,  nearly  double,  was  exacted  from  the  Cubans. 

All  these  were  the  chief  causes  of  the  revolution 
which  began  in  1868,  and  many  of  them  still  existed  a 
few  years  ago  and  led  to  the  last  revolution.  By  the 
way,  there  is  but  little  chance  but  that  it  will  prove  the 
last,  bringing  as  its  consequence,  what  has  been 
struggled  for  so  long — the  freedom  of  Cuba. 

The  standard  of  revolt  in  the  Ten  Years  War,  as  has 
been  stated,  was  raised  by  Carlos  Manuel  de  Cespedes. 
He  was  well  known  as  an  able  lawyer  and  a  wealthy 
planter.  In  the  very  beginning,  he  was  unfortunately 
forced  to  take  action  before  he  had  intended  to  do  so, 
by  reason  of  news  of  the  projected  outbreak  reaching 
the  authorities  in  Havana. 

A  letter  carrier,  who  from  his  actions  gave  rise  to 
suspicions,  was  detained  at  Cespedes'    sugar  plantation, 


THS  TEN  years'    WAR.  47 

L,a  Demajagua,  and  it  was  found  that  he  was  the  bearer 
of  an  order  for  the  arrest  of  the  conspirators. 

With  this  information,  immediate  action  became 
necessary.  Cespedes  deemed  it  expedient  to  strike  at 
once,  and  with  only  two  hundred  poorly  equipped  men, 
he  commenced  the  campaign  at  Yara. 

This  place  was  defended  by  a  Spanish  force  too  strong 
for  the  insurgents.  But  Cespedes  was  not  long  in  at- 
tracting to  himself  a  most  respectable  following. 

At  the  end  of  a  few  weeks  he  found  himself  at  the 
head  of  fifteen  thousand  men.  The  little  army,  however, 
was  an5'thing  but  well  provided  with  arms  and  ammu- 
nition. Among  them  were  many  of  Cespedes'  former 
slaves  whom  the  general  promptly  liberated. 

Attacks  were  made  on  lyas  Tunas,  Cauto  Embarcar- 
dero,  Jiguana,  La  Guisa,  El  Datil  and  Santa  Rita,  in 
almost  every  case  victory  remaining  with  the  insur- 
gents. 

On  the  15th  of  October  it  was  decided  to  attack  Bay- 
amo,  an  important  town  of  ten  thousand  inhabitants. 
On  the  1 8th  the  town  was  captured.  The  governor,  with 
a  small  body  of  men,  shut  himself  up  in  the  fort,  but  a 
few  days  after  was  forced  to  captulate. 

For  the  relief  of  Bayamo,  a  Spanish  force  under  Colo- 
nel Quiros,  numbering,  besides  cavalry  and  artillery, 
about  eight  hundred  infantry,  started  out  from  Santiago 
de  Cuba,  but  was  defeated  and  driven  back  to  Santiago 
with  heavy  losses. 

The  Spanish  general,  Count  Valmaseda,  was  sent  from 
Havana  into  the  insurrectionary  district,    but    was  at- 


48  The;  te;n  ye;ars'  war. 

tacked  and  forced  to  return,  leaving  his  dead  on  the 
field. 

Afterwards  Valmaseda,  who  had  increased  his  force 
to  four  thousand  men,  marched  on  Bayamo.  He  re- 
ceived a  severe  check  at  Saladillo,  but  eventually  suc- 
ceeded in  crossing  the  Cauto.  The  Cubans  saw  the  hope- 
lessness of  defending  the  place  against  such  superior 
numbers,  and,  rather  than  have  it  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy,  burned  the  city. 

In  December,  General  Quesada,  who  afterward  played 
a  most  prominent  part  in  the  war,  landed  a  cargo  of 
arms  and  took  command  of  the  army  at  Camarguey. 

Before  the  close  of  the  year,  Spain,  realizing  how  des- 
perate was  to  be  the  struggle,  had  under  arms  nearly 
forty  thousand  troops  which  had  been  sent  from  Europe, 
besides  twelve  thousand  guerillas  recruited  on  the  is- 
land and  some  forty  thousand  volunteers  organized  for 
the  defense  of  the  cities.  These  latter  were  in  many  re- 
spects analogous  to  the  National  Guard  of  the  United 
States.  They  were  raised  from  Spanish  immigrants,  be- 
tween whom  and  the  native  Cubans  have  always  existed 
a  bitter  enmity  and  jealousy. 

In  the  spring  of  1869,  the  revolutionists  drew  up  a 
constitution,  which  provided  for  a  republican  form  of 
government,  an  elective  president  and  vice-president,  a 
cabinet  and  a  single  legislative  chamber.  It  also  made 
a  declaration  in  favor  of  the  immediate  abolition  of 
slavery.  Cespedes  was  elected  president  and  Francisco 
Aquilero  vice-president. 

It  is  said  that  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  before    be- 


the;  ten  years'  war.  49 

ing  driven  to  reprisals,  the  Cubans  behaved  with  all 
humanity.  They  took  many  Spanish  prisoners  of  war, 
but  paroled  them.  On  the  other  hand,  the  Cuban  pris- 
oners were  treated  with  the  utmost  treachery  and 
cruelt}'.  In  all  parts  of  the  island,  no  Cuban  taken  a 
prisoner  of  war  was  spared ;  to  a  man  they  were  shot 
on  the  spot  as  so  many  dogs. 

Valmaseda,  the  Spanish  general,  in  April,  1869,  issued 
the  following  proclamation,  which  speaks  for  itself: 

"Inhabitants  of  the  country !  The  re-enforcements  of 
troops  that  I  have  been  waiting  for  have  arrived ;  with 
them  I  shall  give  protection  to  the  good,  and  punish 
promptly  those  that  still  remain  in  rebellion  against  the 
government  of  the  metropolis. 

' '  You  know  that  I  have  pardoned  those  that  have 
fought  us  with  arms ;  that  your  wives,  mothers  and  sis- 
ters have  found  in  me  the  unexpected  protection  that 
you  have  refused  them.  You  know,  also,  that  many  of 
those  I  have  pardoned  have  turned  against  us  again. 

' '  Before  such  ingratitude,  such  villainy,  it  is  not  pos- 
sible for  me  to  be  the  man  I  have  been ;  there  is  no 
longer  a  place  for  a  falsified  neutrality ;  he  that  is  not 
for  me  is  against  me,  and  that  my  soldiers  may  know 
how  to  distinguish,  you  hear,  the  orders  they  carry: 

ist.  Every  man,  from  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  up- 
ward, found  away  from  his  habitation  and  not  proving 
a  justified  motive  therefor,  will  be  shot. 

2d.  Every  unoccupied  habitation  will  be  burned  by 
the  troops. 

3d.    Every  habitation  from  which  does  not  float  a 


50  TH^  TEN  YKARS'    WAR. 

white  flag,  as  a  signal  that  its  occupants  desire  peace, 
will  be  reduced  to  ashes. 

' '  Women  that  are  not  living  at  their  own  homes,  or  at 
the  house  of  their  relatives,  will  collect  in  the  town  of 
Jiguana  or  Bayamo,  where  maintenance  will  be  provided. 
Those  who  do  not  present  themselves  will  be  conducted 
forcibly." 

The  second  paragraph  was  flagrantly  untrue.  Those 
who  had  fought  against  the  Spaniards  had  not  been  par- 
doned. On  the  contrary,  they  had  been  put  to  death. 
Fearful  atrocities  had  been  committed  in  Havana  and 
elsewhere.  To  cite  only  a  few  instances:  The  shooting 
of  men,  women  and  children  at  the  Villanuesa  Theatre, 
at  the  Louvre,  and  at  the  sack  of  Aldama's  house. 

Valmaseda's  proclamation  raised  a  storm  of  protest 
from  all  civilized  nations,  and  the  Spaniards,  stiff  and 
unbending,  never  wavered,  but  the  policy  embodied  in 
Valmaseda's  proclamation  remained  their  tactics  until  the 
end  of  the  war. 

The  United  States  was  especially  roused  and  dis- 
gusted. Secretary  Fish,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Hale,  then 
Minister  to  Spain,  protested  "against  the  infamous 
proclamation  of  general,  the  Count  of  Valmaseda." 

Even  a  Havanese  paper  is  quoted  as  declaring  that, 

"Said  proclamation  does  not  even  reach  what  is 
required  by  the  necessities  of  war  in  the  most  civilized 
nations." 

The  revolutionists  were  victorious  in  almost  every 
engagement  for  the  first  two  years,  although  their  losses 
were  by  no  means  inconsiderable. 


the;  ten  years'  war.  51 

It  has  even  been  acknowledged  recently  by  a  repre- 
sentative of  Spain  to  the  United  States  that  the  greater 
and  better  part  of  the  Cubans  were  in  sympathy  with 
the  insurrection.  This  opinion  appeared  in  a  statement 
made  by  Senor  De  lyOme  (whose  reputation  among 
Americans  is  now  somewhat  unsavory)  in  the  New 
York  Herald  of  February  23,  1896. 

The  Cubans  were  recognized  as  belligerents  by  Chili, 
Bolivia,  Guatemala,  Peru,  Columbia  and  Mexico. 

There  were  two  important  expeditions  of  assistance 
sent  to  the  Cubans  in  the  early  part  of  the  war.  One 
was  under  the  command  of  Rafael  Ouesada,  and,  in  ad- 
dition to  men,  brought  arms  and  ammunition,  of  which 
the  insurgents  were  sadly  in  need.  The  other  was  under 
General  Thomas  Jordan,  a  West  Point  graduate  and  an 
ex-ofhcer  in  the  Confederate  service.  By  the  way,  the 
South,  with  its  well-known  chivalry,  has  always  evinced 
warm  sympathy  for  the  unfortunate  Cubans.  To  their 
glory  be  it  spoken  and  remembered ! 

Quesada  managed  to  reach  the  interior  without  resist- 
ance. But  Jordan,  with  only  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  men,  but  carrying  arms  and  ammunition  for  two 
thousand  six  hundred  men,  besides  several  pieces  of  ar- 
tillery, was  attacked  at  Camalito  and  again  at  El 
Ramon ;  he  succeeded  in  repulsing  the  enemy  and  reach- 
ing his  destination. 

Soon  after,  as  General  Quesada  demanded  extraordi- 
nary powers,  he  was  deposed  by  the  Cuban  congress, 
and  General  Jordan  was  appointed  commander-in-chief 
in  his  stead. 


52  th:^  ten  ykars'  war. 

In  August,  1870,  the  United  States  government  off 
ered  to  Spain  their  good  offices  for  a  settlement  of  the 
strife.  Mr.  Fish,  who  was  then  secretar}^  of  State,  pro- 
posed terms  for  the  cession  of  the  island  to  the  Cubans, 
but  the  offer  was  declined.  This  is  only  one  of  the  many 
times  when  Spain,  in  her  suicidal  policy,  has  refused  to 
listen  to  reason. 

About  this  time  the  volunteers  expelled  General 
Dulce,  and  General  de  Rodas  was  sent  from  Spain  to 
replace  him  with  a  re-enforcement  of  thirty  thousand 
men. 

General  de  Rodas,  however,  remained  in  command 
only  about  six  months,  he  in  his  turn  being  rej)laced  by 
Valmaseda,  again  at  the  dictation  of  the  volunteers. 

Speaking  of  these  volunteers,  who  it  will  be  remem- 
bered were  recruited  from  Spanish  immigrants  and  who 
were  peculiarly  obnoxious  to  Cubans  of  all  classes,  it 
will  not  be  out  of  place  to  relate  here  an  act  of  wanton 
cruelty  upon  their  part. 

This  took  place  in  the  autumn  of  187 1.  One  of  the 
volunteers  had  died,  and  his  body  had  been  placed  in  a 
public  tomb  in  Havana.  Later  it  was  discovered  that 
the  tomb  had  been  defaced,  by  some  inscription  placed 
upon  it,  no  more,  no  less.  Suspicion  fell  upon  the  stu- 
dents of  the  university.  The  volunteers  made  a  com- 
plaint and  forty-three  of  the  young  students  were  ar- 
rested and  tried  for  the  misdemeanor.  An  officer  of  the 
regular  Spanish  army  volunteered  to  defend  them,  and 
through  his  efforts,  they  were  acquitted. 

This  verdict  did  not   satisfy  the  volunteers,    however. 


THK  TEN  years'    WAR.  53 

They  demanded  and  obtained  from  the  captain-general, 
who  was  a  man  of  weak  character,  the  convening  of  an- 
other court-martial  two-thirds  of  which  was  to  be  com- 
posed of  volunteers.  Was  there  ever  such  a  burlesque  of 
justice?  The  accusers  and  the  judges  were  one  and  the 
same  persons.  Of  course,  there  could  be  but  one  result. 
All  the  prisoners  were  found  guilty  and  condemned, 
eight  to  be  shot,  and  the  others  to  imprisonment  and 
hard  labor. 

The  day  after  the  court-martial  ( ?)  fifteen  hundred 
volunteers  turned  out  under  arms  and  executed  the 
eight  boys. 

This  incident  filled  the  whole  of  the  United  States 
with  horror  and  indignation.  The  action  was  censured 
by  the  Spanish  Cortes,  but  the  matter  ended  there.  No 
attempt  whatever  was  made  to  punish  the  offenders. 

The  insurgents  waged  an  active  warfare  until  the 
spring  of  1871.  They  had  at  that  time  a  force  of  about 
fifty  thousand  men,  but  they  were  badly  armed  and 
poorly  supplied  with  necessities  of  all  sorts.  The  re- 
sources of  the  Spaniards  were  infinitely  greater.  About 
this  time  the  Cuban  soldiers  who  had  been  fighting  in 
the  district  of  Camaguey  signified  a  desire  to  surrender 
and  cease  the  conflict,  provided  their  lives  were  spared. 
The  proposition  was  accepted.  Their  commander,  Gen- 
eral Agramonte  refused  to  yield,  and  he  was  left  with 
only  about  thirty-five  men  who  remained  loyal  to  him. 
He  formed  a  body  of  cavalry,  and  continued  fighting 
for  some  two  years  longer,  when  he  was  killed  on  the 
field  of  battle. 


54  THE  TEN  years'    WAR. 

In  January,  1873,  the  Edinburg  Review  contained  a 
very  strong  article  on  the  condition  of  affairs  in  Cuba, 
in  the  course  of  which  it  said : 

"It  is  well  known  that  Spain  governs  Cuba  with  an 
iron  and  blood-stained  hand.  The  former  holds  the  lat- 
ter deprived  of  political,  civil  and  religious  liberty. 
Hence  the  unfortunate  Cubans  being  illegally  prose- 
cuted and  sent  into  exile,  or  executed  by  militarj^  com- 
missions in  time  of  peace ;  hence  their  being  kept  from 
public  meeting,  and  forbidden  to  speak  or  write  on 
affairs  of  State;  hence  their  remonstrances  against  the 
evils  that  aiSict  them  being  looked  on  as  the  proceed- 
ings of  rebels,  from  the  fact  that  they  are  bound  to  keep 
silence  and  obey;  hence  the  never-ending  plague  of 
hungry  officials  from  Spain,  to  devour  the  product  of 
their  industry  and  labor;  hence  their  exclusion  from 
public  stations,  and  want  of  opportunity  to  fit  them- 
selves for  the  art  of  government ;  hence  the  restrictions 
to  which  public  instruction  with  them  is  subjected,  in 
order  to  keep  them  so  ignorant  as  not  to  be  able  to 
know  and  enforce  their  rights  in  any  shape  or  form 
whatever ;  hence  the  navy  and  the  standing  army,  which 
are  kept  in  their  country  at  an  enormous  expenditure 
from  their  own  wealth,  to  make  them  bend  their  knees 
and  submit  their  necks  to  the  iron  yoke  that  disgraces 
them;  hence  the  grinding  taxation  under  which  they 
labor,  and  which  would  make  them  all  perish  in  misery 
but  for  the  marvelous  fertility  of  their  soil." 

In  July,  1873,  Pieltain,  then  captain-general,  sent  an 
envoy  to  President  Cespedes  to  offer  peace  on    condition 


THETKN  YKARS'    WAR.  55 

that  Cuba  should  remain  a  state  of   the  Spanish  repub- 
lic, but  this  offer  was  declined. 

In  December  of  the  same  year,  Cespedes  was  deposed 
by  the  Cuban  Congress,  and  Salvador  Cisneros  elected  in 
his  place.  The  latter  was  a  scion  of  the  old  Spanish  no- 
bility who  renounced  his  titles  and  had  his  estates  con- 
fiscated when  he  joined  the  revolution.  He  was  and  is 
distinguished  for  his  patriotism,  intelligence  and  nobil- 
ity of  character.  It  was  his  daughter,  Evangelina  Cis- 
neros, who  was  rescued  from  the  horrors  of  a  Spanish 
dungeon  by  Americans,  and  brought  to  the  United 
States. 

After  his  retirement,  Cespedes  was  found  by  the  Span- 
iards, and  put  to  death,  according  to  their  usual  policy  •. 
"Slay  and  spare  not." 

The  war  dragged  on,  being  more  a  guerrila  warfare 
than  anything  else.  The  losses  were  heavy  on  both  sides. 
There  is  no  data  from  which  to  obtain  the  losses  of  the  Cu- 
bans, but  the  records  in  the  War  Office  at  Madrid  show 
the  total  deaths  in  the  Spanish  land  forces  for  the  ten 
years  to  have  been  over  eighty  thousand.  Spain  had  sent 
to  Cuba  one  hundred  and  forty-five  thousand  men,  and 
her  best  generals,  but  while  they  kept  the  insurgents  in 
check  they  were  unable  to  subdue  them.  The  condition 
of  the  island  was  deplorable,  her  trade  had  greatly  de- 
creased a  ad  her  crops  were  ruined. 

For  years  there  had  been  a  constant  waste  of  men  and 
money,  with  no  perceptible  gain  on  either  side. 

By  1878,  both  parties  were  heartily  weary  of  the  strug- 
gle and  ready  to  compromise. 


56  THE    TEN   years'    WAR. 

General  Martinez  de  Campos  was  then  in  command  of 
the  Spanish  forces,  and  he  opened  negotiations  with  the 
Cuban  leader,  Maximo  Gomez,  the  same  who  was  des- 
tined later  to  attain  even  more  prominence.  Gomez  lis- 
tened to  what  was  proposed,  and  after  certain  delibera- 
tions, terms  of  peace  were  concluded  in  February,  1878, 
by  the  treaty  of  El  Zanjon. 

This  treaty  guaranteed  Cuba  representation  in  the 
Spanish  Cortes,  granted  a  free  pardon  to  all  who  had 
taken  part  directly  or  indirectly,  in  the  revolution,  and 
permitted  all  those  who  wished  to  do  so  to  leave  the 
island. 

At  first  glance  these  terms  seem  fair.  But,  as  we  shall 
see  later,  Spain  in  this  case  as  in  all  others  was  true  to 
herself,  that  is,  false  to  every  promise  she  made. 


THE   VIRGINIUS    EMBROGLIO.  57 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE   VIRGINIUS   EMBROGLIO. 

There  was  one  event  of  the  ten  years'  war  which  de- 
serves to  be  treated  somewhat  in  detail,  as  the  universal 
excitement  in  the  United  States  caused  by  the  affair  for 
a  time  appeared  to  make  a  war  between  the  United 
States  and  Spain  inevitable.  And  the  Cubans  hoped  that 
this  occurrence  would  lead  to  the  immediate  expulsion 
of  the  Spaniards  from  Cuba. 

The  hopes  thus  raised,  however,  were  doomed  to  meet 
with  disappointment,  as  the  diplomatic  negotiations 
opened  between  the  United  States  and  Spain  led  to  a 
peaceable  settlement  of  the  whole  difficulty. 

The  trouble  was  this:  On  the  31st  of  October,  1873, 
the  Virginius,  a  ship  sailing  under  the  American  flag, 
was  captured  on  the  high  seas,  near  Jamaica,  b)'  the 
Spanish  steamer  Tornado,  on  the  ground  that  it  intended 
to  land  men  and  arms  in  Cuba  for  the  insurgent  army. 

The  Virginius  was  a  steamer  which  was  built  in  Eng- 
land during  the  civil  war,  and  was  used  as  a  blockade- 
runner.  She  was  captured  and  brought  to  the  Washing- 
ton Navy  Yard.  There  she  was  sold  at  auction.  The 
purchaser  was  one  John  F.  Patterson,  who  took  an  oath 
that  he  was  a  citizen  of  the  United  States.  On  the  26th 
of  September,  1870,  the  Virginius  was  registered  in  the 
custom  house  of  New  York, 


58  THE   VIRGINIUS   EMBROGLIO. 

As  all  the  requisities  of  the  statute  were  fulfilled  in 
her  behalf,  she  cleared  in  the  usual  way  for  Curacoa,  and 
sailed  early  in  September  for  that  port. 

It  was  discovered  a  good  many  years  after  that  Patter- 
son was  not  the  real  owner  of  the  vessel,  but  that,  as  a 
matter  of  fact,  the  money  for  her  purchase  had  been  fur- 
nished by  Cuban  sympathizers,  and  that  she  was  virtu- 
ally controlled  by  them. 

From  the  day  of  her  clearance  in  New  York,  she  cer- 
tainly did  not  return  within  the  territorial  jurisdiction 
of  the  United  States. 

Nevertheless,  she  preserved  her  American  papers,  and 
whenever  she  entered  foreign  ports,  she  made  it  a  prac- 
tice to  put  forth  a  claim  to  American  nationality,  which 
claim  was  always  recognized  by  the  authorities  in  those 
ports. 

There  is  no  evidence  whatever  to  show  that  she  com- 
mitted any  overt  act,  or  did  anything  that  was  contrary 
to  international  law. 

She  cleared  from  Kingston,  Jamaica,  on  the  23rd  of 
October,  1873,  for  Costa  Rica. 

As  President  Grant  said  in  his  message  to  Congress, 
January  5th,  1874,  she  was  under  the  flag  of  the  United 
States,  and  she  would  appear  to  have  had,  as  against  all 
powers  except  the  United  States,  the  right  to  fly  that 
flag  and  to  claim  its  protection  as  enjoyed  by  all  regu- 
larly documented  vessels  registered  as  part  of  our  com- 
mercial marine. 

Still  quoting  President  Grant,  no  state  of  war  existed 
conferring  upon   a   maritime  power  the  right  to  molest 


THE  VIRGINIUS   EMBROGLIO.  59 

and  detain  upon  the  high  seas  a  documented  vessel,  and 
it  could  not  be  pretended  that  the  Virginius  had  placed 
herself  without  the  pale  of  all  law  by  acts  of  piracy 
against  the  human  race.  (And  yet  this  very  thing  is 
what  the  Spaniards,  without  rhyme  or  reason,  did  claim. 
Ever  since  they  have  been  claiming  what  was  false,  as 
for  instance  their  reports  of  the  victories  ( !)  in  the 
American-Spanish  war.  By  so  doing  they  have  made 
themselves  the  laughing-stock  of  nations,  for,  although 
they  never  hesitate  to  lie,  they  do  not  know  how  to  lie 
with  a  semblance  of  truth,  which  might  be,  far  be  it 
from  us  to  say  would  be,  a  saving  grace). 

If  the  papers  of  the  Virginius  were  irregular  or  fraud- 
ulent, and  frankly  they  probablj-  were,  the  offense  was 
one  against  the  laws  of  the  United  States,  justifiable 
only  in  their  tribunals.  However,  to  return  to  facts,  on 
the  morning  of  the  31st  of  October,  the  Virginius  was 
seen  cruising  near  the  coast  of  Cuba.  She  was  chased 
by  the  Spanish  man-of-war  Tornado,  captured,  and 
brought  into  the  harbor  of  Santiago  de  Cuba  on  the  fol- 
lowing day. 

One  hundred  and  fifty-five  persons  were  on  board, 
many  of  whom  bore  Spanish  names.  This  was  made  a 
great  point  of  by  the  Spanish  authorities,  although  as  a 
matter  of  fact  it  proved  nothing. 

This  action  was  not  only  in  violation  of  international 
law,  but  it  was  in  direct  contravention  of  the  provisions 
of  the  treaty  of  1795. 

Mr.  E.  G.  Schmitt  was  at  that  time  the  American 
vice-consul  at  Santiago,  and  he   lost  no  time  in  demand- 


60  THK   VIRGINIUS   EMBROGLIO. 

ing  that  he  should  be  allowed  to  see  the  prisoners,  in 
order  to  obtain  from  them  information  which  should  en- 
able him  to  protect  those  who  might  be  American  citi- 
zens, and  also  whatever  rights  the  ship  should  chance  to 
have. 

Mr.  Schmitt  was  treated  with  the  utmost  discourtesy 
by  the  authorities,  who  practically  told  him  that  they 
would  admit  of  no  interference  on  his  part,  and  insisted 
that  all  on  board  the  Virginius  were  pirates  and  would 
be  dealt  with  as  such. 

And  indeed  they  were. 

The  Virginius  was  brought  into  Santiago  late  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  first  of  November,  and  a  court-martial 
was  convened  the  next  morning  to  try  the  prisoners. 

Within  a  week  fifty-three  men  had  received  the  sem- 
blance of  a  trial  and  had  been  shot. 

Meanwhile  England,  who  even  her  worst  enemies  can- 
not deny,  is  always  on  the  side  of  humanity,  intervened. 

Reports  of  the  barbarous  proceedings  had  reached 
Jamaica,  and  H.  M.  S.  Niobe,  under  the  command  of 
Sir  lyambton  Lorraine,  was  dispatched  to  Santiago  with 
instructions  to  stop  the  massacre. 

The  Niobe  arrived  at  Santiago  on  the  eighth,  and  Lor- 
raine threatened  to  bombard  the  town  unless  the  execu- 
tions were  immediately  stopped. 

This  threat  evidently  frightened  the  bloodthirsty  gov- 
ernor, for  no  more  shooting  took  place. 

It  was  a  noble  act  on  the  part  of  Sir  Lambton  Lorraine, 
and  the  American  public  appreciated  it.  On  his  way 
home  to  England,  he  stopped  in  New  York.  It  was  pro- 


THE   VIRGINIUS   EMBROGLIO.  6 1 

posed  to  tender  him  a  public  reception,  but  this  Sir 
Lambton  declined.  But  by  way  of  telling  what  a  ' '  brick' ' 
he  was  considered,  a  silver  brick  from  Nevada  was  pre- 
sented to  him,  upon  the  face  of  which  was  inscribed: 
' '  Blood  is  thicker  than  water.  Santiago  de  Cuba,  No- 
vember, 1873.  To  Sir  Lambton  Lorraine,  from  the  Com- 
stock  Mines,  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  U.  S.  A." 

President  Grant,  through  General  Daniel  E.  Sickles, 
who  then  represented  the  United  States  at  Madrid,  di- 
rected that  a  demand  should  be  made  upon  Spain  for  the 
restoration  of  the  Virginius,  for  the  return  of  the  sur- 
vivors to  the  protection  of  the  United  States,  for  a  sa- 
lute to  the  flag,  and  for  the  punishment  of  the  offending 
parties. 

When  the  news  of  the  massacre  reached  Washington, 
the  Secretary  of  State  telegraphed  Minister  Sickles: 

' '  Accounts  have  been  received  from  Havana  of  the 
execution  of  the  captain  and  thirty-six  of  the  crew  and 
eighteen  others.  If  true,  General  Sickles  will  protest 
against  the  act  as  brutal  and  barbarous,  and  ample  repar- 
ation will  be  demanded." 

Minister  Sickles  replied: 

' '  President  Castelar  received  these  observations  with 
his  usual  kindness,  and  told  me  confidentially  that  at 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning,  as  soon  as  he  read  the  tele- 
gram from  Cuba,  and  without  reference  to  any  interna- 
tional question,  for  that  indeed  had  not  occurred  to  him, 
he  at  once  sent  a  message  to  the  captain-general,  admon- 
ishing him  that  the  death  penalty  must  not  be  imposed 
upon  any  non-combatant,  without  the  previous  approval 


62  the;  VIRGINIUS   EMBROGLIO, 

of  the  Cortes,  nor  upon  any  person  taken  in  arms 
against  the  government  without  the  sanction  of  the  ex- 
ecutive." 

About  that  time,  a  writer  of  some  celebrity,  who  was 
also  a  war  correspondent,  named  Ralph  Keeler,  myster- 
iously disappeared.  Although  it  was  never  proven,  there 
is  little  doubt  but  that  he  was  assassinated  by  the  Span- 
iards. 

Then,  as  now,  there  was  an  intense  hatred  in  the 
Spanish  breast  against  every  citizen  of  the  United 
States. 

As  Murat  Halstead  expresses  it,  there  seemed  to  be  a 
blood  madness  in  the  air. 

Mr.  Halstead,  by  the  way,  tells  an  anecdote  of  a 
madman,  who  seized  a  rifle  with  sabre  attached  and  as- 
saulted a  young  man  who  had  asked  him  an  innocent 
question.  He  knocked  him  down  and  stabbed  him  to 
death  with  a  bayonet,  sticking  it  through  him  a  score  of 
times  as  he  cried: 

' '  Cable  my  country  that  I  have  killed  a  rebel !" 

The  murderer  was  adjudged  insane.  Further  comment 
is  unnecessary. 

To  return  to  the  controversy  over  the  Virginius  be- 
tween the  United  States  and  Spain. 

General  Sickles,  as  he  had  been  instructed,  made  a 
solemn  protest  against  the  barbarities  perpetrated  at 
Santiago. 

The  Spanish  Minister  of  State  replied  in  a  rather  ill- 
humored  way,  and  amongst  other  things,  he  said  that 
the  protest  of  America  was  rejected  with  serene  energy. 


THB   VIRGINIUS    EMBROGLIO.  63 

This  somewhat  ridiculous  expression  gave  General 
Sickles  a  chance  to  rejoin,  which  he  did,  as  follows: 

' '  And  if  at  last  under  the  good  auspices  of  Senor  Car- 
vajal,  with  the  aid  of  that  serenity  that  is  unmoved  by- 
slaughter,  and  that  energy  that  rejects  the  voice  of  hu- 
manity, which  even  the  humblest  may  utter  and  the 
most  powerful  cannot  hush,  this  government  is  success- 
ful in  restoring  order  and  peace  and  liberty  where  hither- 
to, and  now,  all  is  tumult  and  conflict  and  despotism,  the 
fame  of  the  achievement,  not  confined  to  Spain,  will 
reach  the  continents  beyond  the  seas  and  gladden  the 
hearts  of  millions  who  believe  that  the  new  world  dis- 
covered by  Columbus  is  the  home  of  freemen  and  not 
that  of  slaves." 

About  this  time,  Spain  asked  the  good  oflBces  of  Eng- 
land as  an  intervener,  but  to  his  glory  be  it  spoken  and 
to  the  nation  which  he  represented,  Lord  Granville  de- 
clined, "unless  on  the  basis  of  ample  reparation  made 
to  the  United  States. ' ' 

Spain  continued  to  dilly-dally  and  evade  the  question 
of  her  responsibility. 

On  the  25th  of  November  Mr.  Fish  telegraphed  to 
Minister  Sickles: 

"If  no  accommodation  is  reached  by  the  close  of  to- 
morrow, leave.  If  a  proposition  is  submitted,  you  will 
refer  it  to  Washington,  and  defer  action." 

This  was  just  after  Minister  Sickles  had  informed  the 
authorities  at  Washington  that  Lord  Granville  regarded 
the  reparation  demanded  as  just  and  moderate. 

On  the  26th,  however,  just   as  the  American  minister 


64  I'HE   VIRGINIUS   EMBROGWO. 

was  preparing  to  ask  for  his  passports,  close  the  legation 
and  leave  Spain,  he  received  a  note  from  Senor  Carvajal 
which  conceded  in  part  the  demands  of  the  United  States. 

This  proposition  was  virtually  that  the  Virginius  and 
the  survivors  should  be  given  up,  but  the  salute  was  to 
be  dispensed  with,  in  case  Spain  satisfied  the  United 
States  within  a  certain  time  that  the  Virginius  had  no 
right  to  carry  the  flag. 

After  considerable  correspondence  an  arrangement 
was  finally  arrived  at,  Spain  further  agreeing  to  proceed 
against  those  who  had  offended  the  sovereignty  of  the 
United  States,  or  who  had  violated  their  treaty  rights. 

In  his  message,  President  Grant  says: 

' '  The  surrender  of  the  vessel  and  the  survivors  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  tribunals  of  the  United  States  was  an 
admission  of  the  principles  upon  which  our  demand  had 
been  founded.  I  therefore  had  no  hesitation  in  agreeing 
to  the  arrangement  which  was  moderate  and  just,  and 
calculated  to  cement  the  good  relations  which  have  so 
long  existed  between  Spain  and  the  United  States." 

The  following  words,  spoken  by  Secretary  Fish  to  Ad- 
miral Polo,  in  an  interview  during  the  progress  of  the 
negotiations,  are  worthy  to  be  quoted : 

' '  I  decline  to  submit  to  arbitration  the  question  of  an 
indignity  to  the  flag.  I  am  willing  to  submit  all  ques- 
tions which  are  properly  subjects  of  reference." 

On  the  i6th  of  December  the  Virginius,  with  the 
American  flag  flying,  was  delivered  to  the  United  States 
at  Bahia  Honda. 

The  vessel  was  unseaworthy.  Her  engines  were  out  of 


THK   VIRGINIUS   EMBROGIJO.  65 

order  and  she  was  leaking  badl3^  On  the  passage  to  New 
York  she  encountered  a  severe  storm,  and,  in  spite  of  the 
efforts  of  her  officers  and  men,  she  sank  off  Cape  Fear. 
The  survivors  of  the  massacre  were  surrendered  at  San- 
tiago de  Cuba  on  the  i8th,  and  reached  New  York  in 
safety. 

About  eighty  thousand  dollars  were  paid  by  Spain  as 
compensation  to  the  families  of  the  American  and  British 
victims  who  perished  at  Santiago.  But  no  punishment 
was  ever  visited  upon  the  governor  who  ordered  the 
executions.  There  was  a  tremendous  amount  of  feeling 
aroused  in  the  United  States  over  the  Virginius  affair, 
and  the  government  was  severely  criticized  and  cen- 
sured for  not  avenging  the  inhuman  butcheries  and  the 
insults  to  the  flag. 

But  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  government  had 
a  very  hard  task  to  deal  wnth.  There  was  little  or  no 
doubt  but  that  the  Virginius,  at  the  time  of  her  capture 
was  intended  for  an  unlawful  enterprise,  in  spite  of  Cap- 
tain Fry's  words  in  a  letter  to  his  wife  just  before  his 
execution : 

'  'There  is  to  be  a  fearful  sacrifice  of  life  from  the  Vir- 
ginius, and,  as  I  think,  a  needless  one,  as  the  poorpeople 
are  unconscious  of  crime  and  even  of  their  fate  up  to 
now.  I  hope  God  will  forgive  me,  if  I  am  to  blame 
for  it." 

The  clamor  of  the  American  people  for  revenge  was 
fiery  in  its  intensity,  but  the  government  did  not  yield 
to  it,  in  which  it  was  right.  There  has  been  more  than 
one  time  in  our  history  when  if  public  opinion  had  been 


66  THE    VIRGINIUS   EMBROGI.TO. 

allowed  to  rule,  the  results  would  have  been  fatal;  and 
the  very  men  who  were  most  abused,  in  the  light  of  fu- 
ture events,  have  been  praised  for  their  wisdom  and 
moderation. 

Murat  Halstead  sums  up  the  whole  matter  in  a  clear 
and  just  manner.  He  says  in  his  admirable  book,  '  'The 
Story  of  Cuba:" 

"It  is  not,  we  must  say,  a  correct  use  of  words  to  say 
that  the  United  States  was  degraded  by  the  Virginius 
incident.  In  proportion  as  nations  are  great  and  digni- 
fied, they  must  at  least  obey  their  own  laws  and  treaties. 
When  Grant  was  President  of  the  United  States  and 
Castelar  was  President  of  Spain,  there  was  a  reckless 
adventure  and  shocking  massacre,  but  we  were  not  de- 
graded because  we  did  not  indulge  in  a  policy  of  venge- 
ance." 


AGAIN  SPAIN'S  PERFIDY.  67 


CHAPTER  VI. 

AGAIN    SPAIN'S     PERFIDY. 

Before  proceeding  further,  it  is  necessary  to  call  at- 
tention to  one  very  important  matter  which  was  the  di- 
rect result  of  the  Ten  Years'  War.  If  the  insurgents  ac- 
complished nothing  else,  thej'  ma}''  well  be  proud  of  this 
achievement. 

Their  own  freedom  they  failed  to  obtain,  but  they 
were  the  cause  of  freedom  being  bestowed  upon  others. 

We  refer  to  the  manumission  of  the  slaves. 

The  Spanish  slave  code,  promulgated  in  1789,  is  ad- 
mitted everywhere  to  have  been  very  humane  in  its 
character.  So  much  so  that  when  Trinidad  came  into  the 
possession  of  the  English,  the  anti-slavery  party  resisted 
successfully  the  attempt  of  the  planters  of  that  island  to 
have  the  Spanish  law  replaced  by  the  British. 

Once  again,  however,  were  the  words  of  Spain  falsi- 
fied by  her  deeds.  Spanish  diplomac}'  up  to  the  present 
day  has  only  been  another  name  for  lies.  For,  notwith- 
standing the  mildness  of  the  code,  its  provisions  were 
constantl)'  and  glaringly  violated. 

In  1840,  a  writer,  who  had  personal  knowledge  of  the 
affairs  of  Cuba,  declared  that  slavery  in  Cuba  was  more 
destructive  to  human  life,  more  pernicious  to  society, 
degrading  to  the  slave  and  debasing  to  the  master,  more 
fatal  to  health  and  happiness  than  in  any  other  slave- 
holding  country  on  the  face  of  the  habitable  globe. 


68  AGAIN   SPAIN'S   PERFIDY, 

It  was  in  Cuba  that  the  slaves  were  subjected  to  the 
coarsest  fare  and  the  most  exhausting  and  unremitting 
toil.  A  portion  of  their  number  was  even  absolutely  de- 
stroyed every  year  by  the  slow  torture  of  overwork  and 
insufl&cient  sleep  and  rest. 

In  1792  the  slave  population  of  the  island  was  esti- 
mated at  eighty -four  thousand;  in  1817,  one  hundred 
and  seventy-nine  thousand;  in  1827,  two  hundred  and 
eighty-six  thousand;  in  1843,  four  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  thousand;  in  1867,  three  hundred  and  seventy -nine 
thousand,  five  hundred  and  twenty-three,  and  in  1873, 
five  hundred  thousand,  or  about  one-third  of  the  entire 
population. 

In  1870,  two  years  after  the  beginning  of  the  v/ar, 
in  which  the  colored  people,  both  free  and  slaves,  took 
a  prominent  part,  the  Spanish  legislature  passed  an  act, 
providing  that  every  slave  who  had  then  passed,  or 
should  thereafter  pass,  the  age  of  sixty  should  be  at 
once  free,  and  that  all  3'et  unborn  children  of  slaves 
should  also  be  free.  The  latter,  however,  were  to  be 
maintained  at  the  expense  of  the  proprietors  up  to  their 
eighteenth  year,  and  during  that  time  to  be  kept  as  ap- 
prentices at  such  work  as  was  suitable  to  their  age. 
Slavery  was  absolutely  abolished  in  Cuba  in  1886.  Spain 
was  therefore  the  last  civilized  country  to  cling  to  this 
vestige  of  barbarism,  and  she  probably  would  not  have 
abandoned  it  then  had  she  not  been  impelled  to  by  force 
and  her  self-interest. 

After  the  treaty  of  El  Zanjon,  it  was  supposed  by  the 
Cubans,  and  rightly  too,  had  they  been  dealing  with  an 


AGAIN  SPAIN'S   PE^RFIDY.  69 

honorable  opponent  and  not  a  trickster,  that   the  condi- 
tion of  Cuba  would  be  greatly  improved. 

The  treaty,  in  the  first  place,  guaranteed  Cuba  repre- 
sentation in  the  Cortes  in  Madrid.  This  was  kept  to  the 
letter,  but  the  spirit  was  abominably  lacking. 

The  Peninsulars,  that  is,  the  Spaniards  in  Cuba,  ob- 
tained complete  control  of  the  polls,  and,  by  unparal- 
lelled  frauds,  always  managed  to  elect  a  majority  of  the 
deputies.  The  deputies,  purporting  to  come  from  Cuba, 
might  just  as  well  have  been  appointed  by  the  Spanish 
crown. 

In  other  and  plainer  words,  Cuba  had  no  representa- 
tion whatever  in  the  Cortes. 

The  cities  of  Cuba  were  hopelessly  in  debt  and  they 
were  not  able  to  provide  money  for  any  municipal  ser- 
vices. 

There  were  no  funds  to  keep  up  the  schools,  and  in 
consequence  they  were  closed. 

As  for  hospitals  and  asylums,  they  scarcely  existed. 
There  was  only  one  asylum  for  the  insane  in  all  the  is- 
land, and  that  was  wretchedly  managed.  This  asylum 
was  in  Havana.  Elsewhere,  the  insane  were  confined 
in  the  cells  of  jails. 

The  public  debt  of  Spain  was  something  enormous, 
and  Cuba  was  forced  to  pay  a  part  of  the  interest  on 
this  which  was  out  of  all  proportion. 

Perez  Castaneda  spoke  of  this  in  the  Spanish  Cortes 
in  the  following  terms: 

"The  debt  of  Cuba  was  created  in  1864  by  a  simple 
issue  of  three  million  dollars,  and  it  now  amouncs  to  the 


70  AGAIN  SPAIN'S   PERFIDYo 

fabulous  sum  of  one  hundred  and  seventy-five  million 
dollars.  What  originated  the  Cuban  debt  ?  The  wars 
of  Santo  Domingo,  of  Peru  and  of  Mexico.  But  are  not 
these  matters  for  the  Peninsula?  Certainly  they  are  mat- 
ters for  the  whole  of  Spain.  Why  must  Cuba  pay  that 
debt?" 

Again,  Senor  Robledo,  in  a  debate  at  Madrid,  after 
speaking  of  the  fearful  abuses  existent  in  the  govern- 
ment of  Havana,  said : 

"  I  do  not  intend  to  read  the  whole  of  the  report ;  but 
I  must  put  the  House  in  possession  of  one  fact.  To 
what  do  these  defalcations  amount?  They  amount  to 
twenty-two  million,  eight  hundred  and  eleven  thousand, 
five  hundred  and  sixteen  dollars.  Did  not  the  govern- 
ment know  this?     What  has  been  done?" 

In  1895  it  was  alleged  that  the  custom  house  frauds 
in  Cuba,  since  the  end  of  the  Ten  Years  War,  amounted 
to  over  one  hundred  millions  of  dollars.  It  is  enough  to 
make  one  hold  one's  breath  in  horror.  And,  remember 
well,  there  was  absolutely  no  redress  for  the  suffering 
Cubans  by  peaceful  means. 

One  more  quotation.  Rafael  de  Kslara  of  Havana, 
when  speaking  of  the  misery  of  the  island,  thus  summed 
up  the  situation : 

"  Granted  the  correctness  of  the  points  which  I  have 
just  presented,  it  seems  to  be  self-evident  that  a  curse  is 
pressing  upon  Cuba,  condemning  her  to  witness  her 
own  disintegration,  and  converting  her  into  a  prey  for 
the  operation  of  those  swarms  of  vampires  that  are  so 
cruelly  devouring  us,  deaf   to  the  voice  of  conscience,  if 


AGAIN  SPAIN'S   PKRFIDY.  7 1 

they  have  anj^;  it  will  not  be  rash  to  venture  the    asser- 
tion that  Cuba  is  undone;  there  is  no  salvation  possible." 

Taxation  on  all  sides  was  enormous,  the  two  chief 
products  of  the  island,  sugar  and  tobacco,  suffering  the 
most.  While  other  countries  gave  encouragement  to 
their  colonies,  Spain  did  everything  she  could  to  dis- 
courage her  well-beloved  '  'Ever  Faithful  Isle." 

The  Cuban  planter  had  to  struggle  along  with  a  heavy 
tax  on  his  crop,  an  enormous  duty  on  his  machinery, 
and  an  additional  duty  at  the  port  of  destination. 

America  once  rose  in  wrath  against  unjust  taxation, 
but  her  grievances  were  as  nothing  in  comparison  with 
those  of — we  had  almost  written — her  sister  republic. 
May  the  inadvertency  prove  a  prophecy ! 

To  show  how  the  products  of  Cuba,  under  this  ghast- 
ly extortion  have  declined,  we  make  the  following 
statement,  based  on  the  most  reliable  statistics. 

In  1880  Cuba  furnished  twenty-five  per  cent,  of  all 
the  sugar  of  the  world.  In  1895  this  had  declined  to 
ten  and  a  half  per  cent.  In  1889,  the  export  of  cigars 
rated  at  forty  dollars  per  one  thousand  amounted  to  ten 
millions,  nineteen  thousand  and  forty  dollars.  In  1894 
it  was  five  millions,  three  hundred  and  sixty-eight 
thousand,  four  hundred  dollars,  a  loss  of  nearly  one- 
half  in  five  years. 

Then  besides  all  this,  Cuba   had   to  pa}^  the  high  sal 
aries  of  the  horde  of  Spanish  officials,  nothing  of    which 
accrued  to  her  advantage. 

There  can  he  no  doubt  but  that  the  treaty  of  El  Zanjon 
was  a  cheat,  and  its  administration  a  gigantic  scandal. 


72  AGAIN  SPAIN'S   PERFIDY, 

Can  auy  fair-minded  person  think  then  that  the 
Cubans  were  wrong,  when  driven  to  the  wall,  oppressed 
beyond  measure,  goaded  to  madness  by  an  inhuman 
master,  they  broke  out  once  again  into  open  revolt,  de- 
termined this  time  to  fight  to  the  death  or  to  obtain 
their  freedom? 


some;   CUBAN   HEROES.  73 


CHAPTER  VII. 

SOME     CUBAN     HEROES. 

Although  the  natural  resources  of  Cuba  are  remark- 
able, as  will  be  demonstrated  later,  and  more  than  suflB- 
cient  for  all  her  people,  a  large  number  of  Cubans  have, 
either  of  their  own  free  ,vill  or  by  force  become  exiles. 

Besides  over  forty  thousand  in  the  United  States,  there 
are  a  large  number  in  the  islands  under  British  control, 
as  well  as  throughout  the  West  Indies  and  in  the  Souih 
American  republics. 

It  is  perfectly  natural  that  these  exiles  should  feel  the 
deepest  interest  in  their  native  land,  and  although 
Spain  has  complained  frequently  of  being  menaced  from 
beyond  her  borders,  what  else  could  she  expect  after  the 
way  in  which  she  treated  these  exiled  sons  of  hers?  Be- 
sides she  has  had  no  just  cause  for  grievance,  as  the 
right  for  foreign  countries  to  furnish  asylums  to  politi- 
cal offenders  has  been  recognized  from  time  immemorial, 
and,  unless  some  overt  act  be  committed,  there  can  be 
no  responsibility  on  the  part  of  such  foreign  countries. 

Enough  perhaps  has  been  said  to  show  that  the 
Cubans  had  every  reason  to  once  again  rise  in  revolt, 
but  in  order  that  there  may  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  justice 
of  their  cause,  let  us  recapitulate: 

Spain  has  invariably  drawn  from  the  island  all  that 
could  be  squeezed  out  of  it. 


74  some;  CUBAN  hkroks. 

In  spite  of  her  protests  she  has  never  done  anything 
for  Cuba,  all  her  aim  being  to  replenish  her  own  ex- 
hausted treasury  and  to  enrich  the  functionaries  of  the 
Spanish  government. 

While  Cuba  is  a  producing  country,  she  has  been  re- 
fused the  right  to  dispose  of  her  produce  to  other  coun- 
tries except  at  ruinous  rates,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that 
Spain  herself  could  not  begin  to  consume  all  that  Cuba 
had  to  offer.  The  market  of  the  island,  by  the  way,  from 
the  very  nature  of  things,  is  the  United  States,  and  not 
Spain. 

The  rules  which  limit  importation  have  been  most 
rigid.  For  instance,  American  flour  cannot  enter  Cuba 
free  of  duty,  while  it  enters  as  a  free  product  into  Spain. 

Spain  has  governed  Cuba  with  a  most  arbitrary  hand. 
The  island  has  had  nothing  whatever  to  say  as  to  the 
management  of  its  own  affairs. 

The  Cubans  ,have  purposely  been  kept  in  a  state  of 
ignorance,  the  system  of  education  amounting  practi- 
cally to  nothing. 

The  Spaniards  have  never  kept  one  promise  made, 
but  after  each  promise  have  increased  their  oppression 
and  tyranny. 

In  1894  Senor  Sagasta  laid  before  the  Cortes  a  project 
for  reform  in  Cuba ;  but  the  sense  of  this  project  was 
confused  in  the  extreme;  there  was  little  hope  that  a 
reform  planned  with  such  little  method  could  meet  with 
any  degree  of  successful  realization.  In  fact  there  was 
little  or  no  possibility  that  the  abuses  under  which  the 
island  groaned  would  be  removed. 


SOME    CUBAN    HEROES.  75 

At  last  patience  ceased  to  be  a  virtue.  The  present 
rising  in  Cuba  was  begun  toward  the  close  of  1894.  ^^^ 
leader  was  Jose  Marti,  a  poet  and  orator,  who  was  then 
in  New  York.  He  at  the  outset,  was  the  very  soul  of 
the  revolutionary  movement,  and  he  held  in  his  hands 
the  threads  of  the  conspiracy. 

He  was  a  man  of  charming  and  captivating  personal- 
ity, strong  in  his  own  convictions  and  devoted  body, 
heart  and  soul  to  the  interests  of  his  country. 

He  was  the  son  of  a  Spanish  colonel  and  when  quite 
young  was  condemned,  for  what  reason  has  never  been 
known,  to  ten  years  imprisonment  in  Havana.  After- 
wards, he  was  sentenced  to  the  galleys  for  life. 

When  the  amnesty  was  declared,  after  the  Ten  Years 
War,  he  was  given  back  his  freedom,  but  his  resentment 
still  continued  and  he  vowed  his  life  to  obtaining  the 
liberty  of  Cuba. 

He  went  first  to  Central  America,  and  afterwards 
took  up  his  residence  in  the  United  States. 

Everywhere  he  preached  what  he  considered  a  holy 
war.  Here  and  there  he  gathered  together  contribu- 
tions, which  he  sent  to  Cuba  for  the  secret  purchase  of 
arms  and  ammunition.  He  met  with  many  rebuffs  and 
disappointments,  but  not  for  one  moment  did  he  doubt 
the  justice  of  his  cause  or  its  ultimate  success.  He  was 
not  a  visionar)'  man,  but  there  were  those  even  among 
the  ones  he  had  won  over  by  his  impassioned  words 
who  looked  upon  him  as  the  victim  of  hallucinations. 
That  this  was  not  true,  the  events  of  the  past  few  years 
have  fully  proven. 


76  SOM:^   CUBAN   HBIROBS. 

Marti  organized  his  first  expedition  in  New  York, 
and  set  sail  for  Cuba  with  three  vessels,  the  Lagonda, 
the  Amadis  and  the  Baracoa,  containing  men  and  war 
materials.  This  expedition  was  stopped,  however,  by 
the  United  States  authorities. 

I,ater,  Marti  joined  Gomez,  Cromlet,  Cebreco  and 
the  Maceo  brothers,  all  of  whom  had  fought  in  the  Ten 
Years  War,  at  Santo  Domingo,  which  was  Gomez'  home. 

Some  description  of  these  men,  all  of  whom  have  done 
magnificent  work  for  the  freedom  of  their  country,  may 
not  be  out  of  place. 

Maximo  Gomez  is  about  seventy-five  years  of  age,  and 
he  may  perhaps  be  termed  the  "Washington"  of  the 
fight  for  liberty.  It  will  be  remembered  that  he  was  a 
leader  in  the  Ten  Years  War.  He  is  a  man  of  excellent 
judgment,  and,  in  spite  of  his  years,  of  marvelous  mental 
and  physical  activity.  No  better  man  could  the  insur- 
gents have  selected  as  their  general-in. chief. 

Flor  Cromlet  was  a  guerilla  of  unquestioned  valor, 
who  lost  his  life  early  in  the  campaign,  but  his  name 
will  live  in  the  annals  of  free  and  independent  Cuba. 
His  mother  was  a  mulatto,  but  his  father  was  a  Span- 
iard. 

The  Maceo  brothers  have  been  particularly  distin- 
guished. They  were  born  of  colored  parents,  and  were 
of  the  type  of  the  mulatto.  Both  were  men  of  indom- 
itable courage.  Antonio  Maceo  was  born  at  Santiago  de 
Cuba  in  1848.  At  the  beginning  of  the  Ten  Years  War, 
he  was  a  mule  driver,  and  could  neither  read  nor  write. 
He  was  one  of  the  first  to  enlist  in  the  Cuban  army,  and 


SOMK    CUBAN    HEROES.  77 

soon  showed  his  courage  and  intelligence.  He  was 
rapidly  promoted  to  superior  rank  and  became  a  terror 
to  the  Spanish  army.  Their  one  idea  seemed  to  be  to 
capture  him,  but  apparently  he  possessed  a  charmed 
life.  During  his  leisure  moments,  which  it  can  be 
imagined  were  but  few,  he  managed  to  learn  to  read 
and  write.  He  was  one  of  the  last  combatants  to  lay 
down  his  arms  in  the  former  war,  and  then  only  because 
he  saw  that  further  struggle  would  only  end  in  loss  of 
life  without  the  winning  of  liberty. 

He  was  exiled  and  then  travelled  through  America, 
studying  constantly  and  ever  endeavoring  to  improve 
himself.  Here  was  a  poor,  obscure,  descendant  of  slaves 
who  by  sheer  perseverance,  of  course  coupled  with 
natural  ability,  afterward  held  the  armies  of  a  great 
nation  at  bay. 

Antonio  Maceo  was  killed  in  Havana  province  in 
1896,  probably  through  the  treachery  of  one  of  his 
followers,  and  his  brother  died,  but  not  until  both  had 
accomplished  wonderful  deeds  of  valor.  It  is  a  pity  that 
the)''  could  not  have  lived  to  see  the  results  of  their 
unselfish  patriotism. 

Another  mulatto  who  has  won  fame  in  the  cause  of 
"Free  Cuba"  is  Augustin  Cebreco. 

The  "Marion  of  Cuba,"  as  he  was  called,  Nestor 
Aranguren,  must  not  be  forgotten.  He  was  at  the  head 
of  a  little  band  of  men,  all  members  cf  the  best  Havana 
families  and  graduates  of  the  universi*^y.  He  was  very 
much  like  the  "Swamp  Fox"  of  our  Revolution  in  the 
way  he  would   undertake   some   daring   raid,   and   then 


78  SOME    CUBAN    HKROKS. 

retreat  into  the  long  grass  of  the  Manigua  to  rest  his 
tired  horses  and  recruit  his  men.  One  of  his  most  famous 
exploits  was  the  capture  of  a  train  at  the  very  gates  of 
Havana.  Aranguren  treated  his  captives  most  kindly, 
with  one  exception,  and  in  this  he  was  justified.  A  man 
named  Barrios  had  often  informed  against  the  insur- 
gents, and  he  was  condemned  to  death.  Of  him,  Aran- 
guren said:  "That  Cuban  must  die.  I  must  rid  my 
country  of  such  an  unnatural  son.  Thank  God,  there 
are  few  such  traitors!" 

The  rest  were  allowed  to  go  free. 

To  one  of  the  Spaniards  who  were  on  the  train, 
Aranguren  said: 

"If  Spain  should  grant  a  generous  and  liberal  auton- 
omy, peace  is  not  only  possible,  but  probable;  but,  if 
she  should  persevere  in  her  false  colors,  she  wall  not 
regain  control  of  this  island,  until  every  true  soldier  of 
Cuba  is  dead,  and  that  will  take  a  long  time." 

The  ill-fated  Aranguren  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
four. 

It  was  not  until  May,  1895,  that  Marti  and  the  other 
leaders  thought  it  wise  to  go  to  Cuba.  When  they 
reached  there,  they  found  that  the  insurgents  had 
already  commenced  the  rebellion  and  had  even  gained 
some  ground. 

At  first  the  Spanish  authorities  looked  upon  the  in- 
surrection as  a  trivial  matter,  nothing  more  serious  than 
a  negro  riot. 

They  believed  that  it  would  be  speedily  suppressed  as 
Spain  had  then  in  the  island  an  army  of  nineteen  thou- 


SOME   CUBAN   HEROES.  79 

sand  men,  besides  the  fifty  thousand  volunteers,  who 
could  be  called  on  in  case  of  need.  But,  to  make  all  sure, 
seven  thousand  more  soldiers  were  sent  over  from  Spain. 

In  addition  to  this,  many  men,  who  afterward  were 
among  the  leaders  of  the  insurgent  party  expressed  their 
unqualified  disapproval  of  the  movement.  And  in  this, 
they  were  undoubtedly  sincere,  as  they  had  not  the 
slightest  idea  that  it  could  succeed. 

The  general  lack  of  s)''mpathy  and  the  universal  criti- 
cism that  met  the  little  band  of  revolutionists  unques- 
tionably contributed  much  toward  the  relaxation  of  the 
vigilance  of  the  government. 

But  the  government  was  soon  to  be  undeceived.  The 
insurrection  became  a  very  serious  matter  indeed.  The 
insurgents  pursued  very  much  the  same  tactics  that 
they  had  followed  in  the  Ten  Years  War,  that  is,  they 
would  seldom  risk  an  open  battle,  and  the  Spaniards 
could  gain  but  little  ground  against  the  guerilla 
methods  of  their  opponents. 

The  Cubans  were  very  badly  equipped ;  in  fact  they 
had  scarcely  any  war  material  whatever.  They  began 
by  appropriating  indiscriminately  any  fire  arms  wher- 
ever they  could  find  them,  from  the  repeating  rifle  to 
the  shot  gun  with  the  ramrod.  Many  of  them  were 
armed  only  with  revolvers,  and  the  majority  of  them  had 
simply  the  "  machete, "  a  knife  about  nineteen  inches 
in  length. 

Recruits  constantly  came  to  their  ranks,  however, 
and  it  was  not  long  before  they  numbered  over  six 
thousand. 


8o  SOMK    CUBAN    HKROSS. 

A  political  crisis  now  took  place  in  Spain,  and  the 
conservative  party  came  into  power.  Premier  Canovas 
then  appointed  as  governor-general  of  Cuba,  Martinez 
Campos,  who  had  been  so  successful,  by  diplomacy  rather 
than  by  anything  else,  in  ending  the  Ten  Years  War. 

He  landed  at  Guantanamo,  and  before  visiting  Ha- 
vana, he  issued  the  most  elaborate  instructions  to  ever)^ 
department  of  the  military  service,  which  now  had  been 
largely  reinforced. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  war,  a  great  misfortune  befell 
the  Cubans,  and  that  was  in  the  loss  of  their  beloved 
leader,  Jose  Marti. 

On  the  1 8th  of  May,  a  part  of  the  insurgent  army 
camped  upon  the  plains  of  Dos  Rios,  where  they  learned 
that  the  enemy  was  in  the  neighborhood,  in  safety,  pro- 
tected by  a  fort. 

The  insurgents  numbered  about  seven  hundred  cav- 
alrymen, under  the  command  of  Marti  and  Gomez. 

The  next  morning  they  came  upon  the  Spanish  out- 
post. Gomez,  who  has  always  shown  himself  to  be  a 
prudent  general,  thought  it  would  be  wiser  not  to  risk 
a  battle,  but  to  continue  their  route,  as  the  object  of  the 
expedition  was  not  skirmishing,  but  to  attempt  to  pene- 
trate into  the  Province  of  Puerto  Principe. 

But  Jose  Marti,  in  his  fiery  enthusiasm  longed  to 
fall  upon  the  enemy ;  he  declared  that  not  to  do  so 
would  be  dishonor.     Gomez  yielded. 

Marti  was  mounted  upon  a  very  spirited  horse.  He 
was  told  that  it  was  unmanageable,  but  he  would  not 
listen  to  reason.     Crying,  "Come  on,  my  chldren!"  and 


SOME)    CUBAN    HEROES.  8 1 

■'Viva  Cuba  Libre,"  he  dashed  upon  the  Spanish,  fol- 
lowed by  his  men. 

Before  this  onslaught,  the  Spaniards  retreated,  but  in 
good  order.  Gomez  cried  to  his  troops  to  rally,  but 
Marti,  dragged  on  by  his  horse  which  he  was  unable  to 
control,  disappeared  among  the  ranks  of  the  enemy. 
He  received  a  bullet  above  the  left  eye,  another  in  the 
throat,  and  several  bayonet  thrusts  in  the  body. 

Led  by  Gomez,  who  was  heart  broken  at  the  fate  of 
his  old  companion  and  friend,  the  insurgents  charged 
upon  the  Spaniards,  but  it  was  of  no  avail.  The  latter 
retained  possession  of  the  corpse  of  the  gallant  soldier, 
whose  only  fault  was  a  too  reckless  bravery. 

And  now  it  is  a  pleasure  to  be  able  to  recount  one 
noble  act  on  the  part  of  the  Spaniards,  perhaps  the  only 
one  in  the  whole  course  of  the  war. 

General  Campos,  who  was  a  just  and  honorable  man, 
ordered  the  body  of  the  illustrious  patriot  to  receive  de- 
cent burial,  and  one  of  the  Spanish  officers  even  pro- 
nounced a  sort  of  eulogy  over  the  remains. 

There  was  a  report  that  Gomez  had  also  been  killed, 
but  this  was  a  mistake.  About  a  month  afterward  he 
crossed  the  trocha  and  entered  the  province  of  Puerto 
Principe,  more  commonly  known  as  the  Camaguey. 

The  trocha,  by  the  way,  was  an  invention  of  Campos 
in  the  preceding  war,  and  was  found  to  be  of  great 
value.  It  was  practically  a  line  of  forts  extending  across 
the  island  between  the  provinces  of  Puerto  Principe  and 
Santa  Clara,  and  it  was  intended  that  the  insurgents 
should  not  be  allowed  to  cross  this   line.     Other  trochas 


82  SOME^   CUBAN   HKROES, 

were  afterwards  erected,  but  they  have  not  proved  of 
any  extraordinary  advantage  in  the  present  insurrec- 
tion. 

An  assembh^  composed  of  representatives  of  all  the 
bands  that  were  under  arras,  met  and  elected  the  officers 
of  the  revolutionary  government. 

Salvador  Cisneros,  otherwise  known  as  the  Marquis 
of  Santa  Lucia,  was  elected  president,  the  same  office 
he  had  filled  during  the  Ten  Years  War. 

The  other  officers  were: 

Vice-President,  Bartolomeo  Maso. 

Secretary  of  State,  Rafael  Portuondo  y  Tamayo. 

Secretary  of  War,  Carlos  Roloff. 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Severo  Pina. 

General-in-Chief,  Maximo  Gomez, 

Lieutenant-General,  Antonio  Maceo. 

Afterwards,  at  another  election,  as  officers,  according 
to  the  Cuban  constitution,  only  serve  two  years,  there 
were  replaced  by  the  following : 

President,  Bartolomeo  Maso. 

Vice-President,  Mendez  Capote. 

Secretary  of  State,  Andres  Moreno  de  la  Torres, 

Secretary  of  War,  Jose  B.  Alemon. 

Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  Ernesto  Fons  Sterling, 

Maximo  Gomez  still  remained  general-in-chief. 

Gomez  and  Campos  were  now  pitted  once  more 
against  each  other,  as  they  had  been  in  the  previous 
war. 

Both  men  issued  orders  to  their  respective  commands. 

Gomez  ordered  the  Cubans  to  attack  the  small    Span- 


some;   CUBAN   HEROES.  83 

ish  outposts,  capture  their  arms  if  possible  setting  at 
libert}'  every  man  who  should  deliver  them  up;  to  cut 
all  railway  and  telegraph  lines;  to  keep  on  the  defensive 
and  retreat  in  groups,  unless  the  Cubans  were  in  a  po- 
sition to  fight  the  enemy  at  great  advantage;  to  destroy 
Spanish  forts  and  other  buildings  where  any  resistance 
was  made  b}^  the  enemy ;  to  destroy  all  sugar  crops  and 
mills,  the  owners  of  which  refused  to  contribute  to  the 
Cuban  war  fund;  and,  finally  to  forbid  the  farmers  to 
send  any  food  to  the  cities  unless  upon  the  payment  of 
certain  taxes. 

On  his  part,  Campos  issued  the  following  commands: 
Several  regiments  to  protect  the  sugar  estates;  other 
detachments  to  be  placed  along  the  railroads,  and  on 
every  train  in  motion;  to  attack  always,  unless  the 
enemy's  numbers  were  three  to  one;  all  rebels,  except 
officers,  who  surrendered,  to  be  allowed  to  go  free  and 
unmolested ;  convo^rs  of  provisions  to  be  sent  to  such 
towns  as  needed  them. 

Everything  was  now  in  readiness  for  a  fierce  cam- 
paign, and  one  that  threatened  to  be  protracted.  It 
was  not  long  before  operations  commenced  in  earnest.  ' 


84  CUBAN  TACTICS. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

CUBAN     TACTICS  . 

There  was  one  incident  which  occurred  in  the  early- 
part  of  the  disturbances  which  caused  a  certain  amount 
of  excitement  in  the  United  States,  as  it  was  thought 
that  it  would  prove  to  be  a  repetition  of  the  Virginius 
affair. 

On  the  8th  of  March,  1895,  the  ship  Allianca  was 
bound  from  Colon  to  New  York.  She  was  following  the 
usual  track  of  vessels  near  the  Cuban  shore.  But,  out- 
side the  three  mile  limit,  she  was  fired  upon  by  a  Span- 
ish gunboat.  President  Cleveland  declared  this  to  be  an 
unwarrantable  interference  by  Spain  with  passing 
American  ships.  Protest  w^as  promptly  made  by  the 
United  States  against  this  act  as  not  being  justified  by 
a  state  of  war ;  nor  permissible  in  respect  of  a  vessel  on 
the  usual  paths  of  commerce,  nor  tolerable  in  view  of 
the  wanton  peril  occasioned  to  innocent  life  and  prop- 
erty. This  act  was  disavowed  by  Spain,  with  full  ex- 
pression of  regret,  and  with  an  assurance  that  there 
should  not  be  again  such  just  cause  for  complaint.  The 
offending  officer  was  deposed  from  his  command.  All 
this  was  eminently  satisfactory,  and  the  United  States 
took  no  further  action  in  the  matter. 

The  chief  battle  of  the  campaign,  while  Campos  still 
remained  governor-general,  was  that  fought  at  Bayamo, 


CUBAN   TACTICS.  85 

in  July,  1895.  Campos  himself  commanded  in  person, 
and  for  the  first  time  the  Spaniards,  ever  vain-glorious 
and  self-confident,  became  aware  of  the  mettle  of  the 
men  arrayed  against  them. 

The  Spanish  forces  numbered  some  five  thousand 
men,  vi^hile  the  Cubans  had  not  much  more  than  half 
that  number.  It  was  the  Spanish  strategy,  however,  to 
divide  their  men  into  detachments,  and  the  Cubans 
were  quick  to  take  advantage  of  this.  The  fight  was  a 
long  and  bloody  affair,  but  finally  the  victory,  although 
not  pronounced,  remained  with  the  Cubans. 

The  Spanish  forces  were  more  or  less  demoralized, 
and  their  loses  were  heavy.  Thirteen  Spanish  officers 
were  killed,  while  the  Cubans  lost  two  colonels.  The 
Cubans  admitted  that  fifty  of  their  number  were  killed 
or  disabled,  but  they  claimed  that  the  loss  of  the  Span- 
iards was'over  three  hundred. 

It  is  impossible  to  tell  much  from  the  Spanish  ac- 
counts, as  they  were  far  from  being  complete  and  were 
highly  colored.  It  has  been  the  same  way  in  the  present 
war,  as  witness  the  laughable  "one  mule"  report,  with 
which  all  are  familiar. 

In  this  engagement.  General  Santocildes  was  killed. 
It  is  said  that  Santocildes  sacrificed  his  own  life  to  save 
that  of  his  friend  and  superior,  Campos. 

There  are  two  very  different  stories  told  of  the  atti- 
tude of  Antonio  Maceo  toward  Campos  in  this  battle. 
One  is  to  the  effect  that  he  did  not  know  that  Campos 
was  commanding  in  person,  but  when  he  was  told  of  it 
the  following  day,  he  said: 


86  CUBAN  TACTICS. 

"Had  I  known  it,  I  would  have  sacrificed  five  hun- 
dred more  of  my  men,  and  I  would  have  taken  him 
dead  or  alive!  Thus  with  one  blow  I  would  have  ended 
the  war." 

The  other  is  quite  different,  and  has  been  very  gen- 
erally believed  amongst  the  Cubans.  It  is  to  the  effect 
that,  during  the  fight,  Maceo  recognized  Campos,  and, 
pointing  him  out  to  his  men,  ordered  them  not  to  harm 
him,  as  he  was  a  soldier  who  made  war  honorably. 

Murat  Halstead  relates  two  incidents  of  the  battle  of 
Bayamo,  which,  however,  he  declares  must  be  taken 
with  a  large  grain  of  salt.  One,  which  comes  from  an 
insurgent  authority  is  as  follows : 

"Campos  only  saved  himself  by  a  ruse.  Taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  Cubans'  well-known  respect  for  the 
wounded,  he  had  himself  placed  in  a  covered  stretcher, 
which  they  allowed  to  pass,  without  looking  inside  the 
cover.  When  outside  of  the  Cuban  lines  he  was  obliged 
to  walk  on  foot  to  Bayamo,  through  six  miles  of  by- 
paths, under  cover  of  the  darkness,  only  accompanied 
by  a  colored  guide. ' ' 

The  other  tells  that  a  son  of  Campos,  who  was  a 
lieutenant,  was  captured,  but  released  with  a  friendly 
message  to  his  father,  who  of  course,  was  expected  to 
follow  so  admirable  an  example. 

Whether  these  anecdotes  are  true  or  not,  one  thing  is 
certain.  After  the  battle,  Maceo  collected  the  wounded, 
whom  the  Spaniards  left  upon  the  field  in  their  retreat, 
and  treated  them  in  the  most  humane  manner  possible. 
He  wrote  to  Campos  the  following  letter: 


CUBAN  TACTICS.  87 

"To  His  Excellency,  the  General  Martinez  Campos: 

' '  Dear  Sir — Anxious  to  give  careful  and  efficient  at- 
tendance to  the  wounded  Spanish  soldiers  that  your 
troops  left  behind  on  the  battle-field,  I  have  ordered 
that  they  be  lodged  in  the  houses  of  the  Cuban  families 
that  live  nearest  to  the  battle-ground,  until  you  send 
for  them. 

' '  With  my  assurance  that  the  forces  you  may  send  to 
escort  them  back  will  not  meet  any  hostile  demonstra- 
tions from  my  soldiers,  I  have  the  honor  to  be,  sir, 

"Yours  respectfully, 

"Antonio  Maceo." 

While  Maceo  was  thus  maneuvering  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  island,  the  general-in-chief,  Maximo  Gomez, 
was  fighting  in  Camaguey.  The  population  in  the  prov- 
inces of  Puerto  Principe  and  Santiago  de  Cuba  had 
risen  almost  to  a  man,  and  the  movement  was  well  un- 
der way  in  the  province  of  Santa  Clara. 

Several  encounters  took  place,  the  most  important  be- 
ing the  attack  upon  the  little  city  of  Cascorro,  which 
Gomez  succeeded  in  capturing.  He  found  there  a  large 
quantity  of  arms  and  ammunition,  of  which  the 
Cubans  were  greatly  in  need. 

Gomez  proved  himself  quite  as  magnanimous  as 
Maceo.  The  wounded  were  all  cared  for  to  the  best  of 
his  ability,  and  the  prisoners  were  returned  to  the  Span- 
ish leaders.  This  example,  however,  seems  to  have  been 
utterly  lost  upon  the  Spaniards. 

The  insurgent  forces,  under  Gomez,  were  at  this  time 
divided  into  six  portions,  operating  in  the  six  provinces, 


88  CUBAN  TACTICS. 

and  commanded  by  Antonio  Maceo,  Aguerre,  Lacret, 
Carillo,  Suarez  and  Jose  MaceOo  Suarez  was  afterwards 
cashiered  for  cowardice,  and  replaced  by  Garcia. 

In  August,  1895,  Maceo  joined  his  chief  at  a  place 
called  Jimaguaya,  where  Gomez  had  called  to  him  a 
large  proportion  of  the  Cuban  forces,  which  numbered  at 
that  time  about  thirty  thousand. 

And  against  these  undisciplined  soldiers  was  arrayed 
a  regular  army  of  over  eighty-five  thousand  men,  not 
counting  the  armed  volunteers. 

The  odds  were  terribly  against  the  Cubans,  but 
Gomez  and  Maceo  were  confident  of  success. 

It  should  be  mentioned  here  that  there  were  quite  a 
number  of  women  fighting  under  Maceo,  and  these 
women  did  heroic  service.  In  fact,  the  Cuban  women 
have  given  innumerable  proofs  of  their  devotion,  body 
and  soul,  to  the  cause  of  "Cuba  Libre." 

Gomez'  objective  point  was  Havana,  and  between 
Jimaguaya  and  Havana,  there  were  over  fifty  thousand 
Spanish  soldiers. 

When  Gomez  started,  he  had  about  twelve  thousand 
men,  which  he  divided  into  three  columns.  He  was 
quite  well  aware  that  the  fighting  must  be  of  the  guer- 
illa stamp.  In  fact,  it  was  the  only  species  of  warfare 
possible. 

He  therefore  instructed  his  lieutenants  to  have  re- 
course to  strategy,  to  foil  the  enemy  at  every  point. 
The  one  object  was  to  reach  Havana. 

" In  the  event  of  a  forced  battle,"  he  said  finally, 
"overthrow  them!    Pass  over  them  and  on  to  Havana!" 


CUBAN   TACTICS.  89 

The  march  was  begun,  the  instructions  being  followed 
to  the  letter.  Actual  combat  was  everywhere  avoided. 
The  Spanish  papers  constantly  had  reports  like  this: 
'  *  After  a  few  shots  the  rebels  ran  away. ' '  They  did  not 
understand  that  this  was  exactly  Gomez'  tactics,  and  he 
was  succeeding,  too. 

Every  day  the  insurgents  advanced  further  and 
further  west.  At  the  end  of  a  fortnight  they  reached 
the  trocha  of  Jaruco,  which  had  been  constructed  in  the 
centre  of  the  island.  This  trocha  was  occupied  by  a 
large  and  important  Spanish  force. 

Gomez  ordered  Maceo  to  make  a  feigned  attack  upon 
the  northern  portion  of  the  trocha.  The  Spaniards 
rushed  there  in  a  body,  and  Gomez,  who  had  counted 
upon  this  very  thing,  crossed  the  southern  part,  which 
was  left  unprotected,  without  striking  a  blow. 

As  soon  as  Maceo  knew  that  Gomez  had  passed  over 
in  safety,  he  immediately  disappeared  with  his  men, 
and  soon  after  managed  to  rejoin  his  chief. 

It  was  a  very  clever  ruse,  and  Campos,  whose  head- 
quarters were  then  in  Santa  Clara  realized  that  he  had 
been  outgeneralled.  He  ordered  a  hurried  march  to 
Cienfuegos,  and  there  took  command. 

The  evasive  movements  of  the  insurgents  continued, 
and  again  and  again  was  Campos  outflanked. 

With  but  little  difficulty  the  Cubans  crossed  two  other 
trochas,  and  finally  entered  the  Province  of  Matanzas, 
which  Campos  had  felt  positive  could  never  be  invaded ; 
the  Spaniards  meanwhile  constantly  retreating,  nearer 
and  nearer  to  the  capital. 


90  CUBAN   TACTICS. 

At  last,  Campos  determined  to  force  an  open  conflict. 
He  told  his  lieutenants  where  they  were  to  meet  him. 

This  was  in  December,  1895. 

Campos  lay  in  wait  for  Maceo's  forces  at  a  point  be- 
tween Coliseo  and  lyUmidero. 

It  seemed  at  first  as  if  the  insurgents  were  caught  in 
a  trap,  and  would  be  forced  to  accept  a  battle  in  the 
open,  which  could  not  fail  to  be  disastrous  to  them. 

But  a  happy  thought  came  to  Maceo,  and,  in  connec- 
tion with  this  plan,  he  issued  his  orders. 

Suddenly,  the  cane-fields  which  surrounded  the  camp 
of  the  Spaniards  burst  into  flame,  and  on  each  side  was 
a  great  blazing  plain.  Campos  knew  that  he  had  once 
more  been  foiled,  and  he  gave  the  order  to  retreat  at 
once. 

This  battle,  if  battle  it  can  be  called,  had  important 
results.  It  enabled  Gomez  to  reach  Jovellanos,  a  city 
which  commanded  the  railroad  lines  of  Cardenas,  Matan- 
zas  and  Havana.  These  lines  Gomez  destroyed  as  well 
as  ever}^  sugar  plantation  upon  his  route. 

As  to  the  destruction  of  the  sugar  fields  and  the  rea- 
son therefor,  we  shall  have  something  to  say  later  on. 

Campos,  completely  outwitted  and  vanquished  in  his 
attempts  to  stop  the  onward  progress  of  the  insurgents, 
now  fell  back  upon  Havana,  which  he  reached  Christ- 
mas Day. 

His  reception  in  the  capital  was  anything  but  a  pleas- 
ant one.  The  Spaniards  there  had  clamored  from  the 
very  beginning  for  revenge  without  mercy,  and  they 
looked  upon  the  successive   checks  which  the  army  had 


CUBAN  TACTlCSo  9 1 

received  as  little  less  than  criminal.  They  demanded  of 
the  governor-general  the  reason  for  his  repeated  defeats, 
and  even  threatened  him  personally. 

There  were  three  political  parties  in  Cuba,  the  Con- 
servatives, the  Reformists  and  the  Autonomists.  Cam- 
pos met  the  leaders  of  these  parties  in  an  interview,  and 
asked  for  their  opinions.  The  consultation  was  very  un- 
satisfactory, and  as  a  result  Campos  proposed  his  resig- 
nation to  which  the  ministry  made  no  objection. 

Shortly  after,  his  resignation  was  sent  in  and  ac- 
cepted. He  sailed  for  Spain  the  17th  of  January,  his 
place  being  temporarily  filled  by  General  Sabas  Marin. 

In  spite  of  Martinez  Campos'  failure  to  subdue  the  in- 
surrection, nothing  but  the  greatest  sj'mpathy  and  re- 
spect can  be  felt  for  him,  at  least  out  of  Spain,  where, 
speaking  in  a  general  manner,  humanity  has  no  place, 
and  gratitude  is  an  unknown  quantity. 

Campos'  services  to  his  country  had  been  great,  in- 
cluding, as  they  did,  the  pacification  of  Cuba  in  the 
Ten  Years  War,  the  quelling  of  a  revolt  in  Spain  itself, 
and  the  restoration  and  support  of  the  Spanish  mon- 
archy. At  an  advanced  age,  when  he  should  have  been 
enjo)'ing  a  well  deserved  rest,  he  was  sent  away  to  fight 
a  difficult  war,  and  to  risk  the  tarnishing  of  his  laurels 
as  a  military  commander. 

All  praise  to  Martinez  Campos  for  his  pure  patriot- 
ism, his  unswerving  rectitude,  his  magnanimity  and  his 
exalted  ideas  of  honor!  This  praise  even  the  enemies  of 
his  country  cannot  refuse  to  him. 


92  WBYLER  THE  BUTCHER. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

WEYLER     THE     BUTCHER. 

No  greater  contrast  to  Campos  could  possibly  be 
imagined  than  his  successor,  General  Valerian©  Weyler, 
known,  and  with  the  utmost  'ustice,  throughout  Cuba 
and  the  United  States  as  "The  Butcher." 

During  his  official  life  in  Cuba,  he  proved  again  and 
again  the  truth  of  his  reputation  for  relentless  cruelty. 

There  is  no  doubt  that  during  former  wars  he  com- 
mitted the  most  atrocious  crimes. 

It  is  not  claimed  that  he  ever  showed  any  brilliant 
qualifications  as  a  military  leader,  and  it  was  precisely 
because  he  lacked  the  characteristics  of  General  Campos, 
that  Spain  appointed  him  governor-general,  hoping  that 
his  severity  (no,  severity  is  too  mild  a  word,  his  savage 
brutality)  would  accomplish  what  Campos  had  failed 
to  do. 

In  the  light  of  events  following  his  appointment, 
events  which  filled  the  whole  civilized  world  with  indig- 
nation and  horror,  it  has  been  pretended  by  Spain  that 
her  ministry  specially  instructed  him  to  ' '  moderate  his 
ardor." 

Moderate  his  ardor,  indeed  !  Granted  that  he  obeyed 
instructions,  if,  indeed  such  instructions  ever  existed, 
just  think  for  a  moment  what  would  have  happened  if 
he  had  not ! 


WEYIvER   THE   BUTCHER.  93 

It  is  very  hard  to  write  in  a  temperate  vein  when 
Weyler  is  the  subject.  But  where  is  the  case  for  the 
plaintiff?  Where  are  their  defenders,  when  Nero,  Cali- 
gula or  Judas  is  in  question? 

Let  us  now  contemplate  a  pen  picture  of  "The 
Butcher,"  painted  by  Mr.  Elbert  Rappleye,  a  very 
clever  American  newspaper  correspondent: 

"General  Weyler  is  one  of  those  men  who  creates  a 
first  impression,  the  first  sight  of  whom  can  never  be 
effaced  from  the  mind,  by  whose  presence  the  most  care- 
less observer  is  impressed  instantly,  and  yet,  taken  al- 
together, he  is  a  man  in  whom  the  elements  of  greatness 
are  concealed  under  a  cloak  of  impenetrable  obscurity. 
Inferior  physically,  unsoldierly  in  bearing,  exhibiting 
no  trace  of  refined  sensibilities  nor  pleasure  in  the  gentle 
associations  that  others  live  for,  or  at  least  seek  as  di- 
versions, he  is  nevertheless  the  embodiment  of  mental 
acuteness,  crafty,  unscrupulous,  fearless  and  of  indomit- 
able perseverance. 

"Campos  was  fat,  good-natured,  wise,  philosophical, 
slow  in  his  mental  processes,  clear  in  his  judgment, 
emphatic  in  his  opinions,  outspoken  and  withal,  lovable, 
humane,  conservative,  constructive,  progressive,  with 
but  one  object  ever  before  him,  the  glorification  of 
Spain  as  a  motherland  and  a  figure  among  peaceful, 
enlightened  nations.  Weyler  is  lean,  diminutive,  shriv- 
eled, ambitious  for  immortality,  irrespective  of  its  odor, 
a  master  of  diplomacy,  the  slave  of  Spain  for  the  glory 
of  sitting  at  the  right  of  her  throne,  unlovable,  unlov- 
ing, exalted." 


94  WEYIvKR  THE   BUTCHER. 

After  telling  of  how  he  was  admitted  to  Weyler's 
presence,  Mr.  Rappleye  continues  his  vivid  description. 

' '  And  what  a  picture !  A  little  man.  An  apparition 
of  blacks — black  eyes,  black  hair,  black  beard,  dark — 
exceedingly  dark — complexion;  a  plain  black  attire. 
He  was  alone  and  was  standing  facing  the  door  I  en- 
tered. He  had  taken  a  position  in  the  very  centre  of  the 
room,  and  seemed  lost  in  its  immense  depths.  His  eyes, 
far  apart,  bright,  alert  and  striking,  took  me  in  at  a 
glance.  His  face  seemed  to  run  to  chin,  his  lower 
jaw  protruding  far  beyond  any  ordinary  indication  of 
firmness,  persistence  or  will  power.  His  forehead  is 
neither  high  nor  receding;  neither  is  it  that  of  a 
thoughtful  or  philosophic  man.  His  ears  are  set  far 
back ;  and  what  is  called  the  region  of  intellect,  in 
which  are  those  mental  attributes  that  might  be  defined 
as  powers  of  observation,  calculation,  judgment  and  exe- 
cution, is  strongly  developed." 

Mrs.  Kate  Masterson,  another  American  journalist, 
was,  we  believe,  the  only  one,  except  Mr.  Rappelj'e, 
who  obtained  an  interview  with  Weyler. 

Among  other  things  that  he  said,  Mrs.  Masterson  re- 
ports the  following : 

"I  have  shut  out  the  Spanish  and  Cuban  papers  from 
the  field  as  well  as  the  American.  In  the  last  war  the 
correspondents  created  much  jealousy  by  what  they 
wrote.  They  praised  one  and  rebuked  the  other.  They 
are  a  nuisance." 

"I  have  no  time  to  pay  attention  to  stories.  Some  of 
them  are  true  and  some  of  them  are  not." 


WBYLER  the;  butcher.  95 

*' The  Spanish  columns  attend  to  their  prisoners  just 
as  well  as  any  other  country  in  times  of  war, ' '  An 
obvious'y  false  statement,  by  the  way.  "War  is  war. 
You  cannot  make  it  otherwise,  try  as  you  will." 

True  to  a  certain  extent,  General  Weyler,  but  not 
from  your  point  of  view.  There  are  certain  humanita- 
rian principles,  of  which  you  seem  to  be  ignorant  that 
can  be  practiced  in  time  of  war  as  well  as  in  time  of 
peace. 

Weyler  declared  to  Mrs.  Masterson  that  women,  if 
combatants,  would  be  treated  just  the  same  as  men.  As 
a  niatter  of  fact,  whether  combatants  or  non-combatants, 
he  treated  them  worse  than  men. 

He  sneered  at  the  Cuban  leaders,  at  Maceo  for  being 
a  mulatto,  and  for  having,  as  he  asseverated,  no  military 
instruction.  And  at  Gomez,  whom  he  declared  was  not 
a  brave  soldier  and  had  never  distinguished  himself  in 
any  way. 

It  has  always  been  the  policy  of  the  Spaniards  to  be- 
little the  Cubans,  sneering  at  them  as  being  generaled 
by  negroes,  half  breeds  and  illiterate  to  a  degree.  Be- 
yond the  fact  that  this  is  contemptibly  false,  they  do  not 
stop  to  think  how  they  are  dishonoring  their  own  troops 
which  have  made  such  little  headway  against  them. 

When  the  Spaniards  have  forced  the  insurgents  to 
surrender  in  all  the  revolts  that  have  taken  place,  it  has 
been  mainl}'  through  false  representations  and  lying 
promises,  promise^  that  they  knew,  when  they  made 
them,  were  never  intended  to  be  carried  out. 

Weyler 's  character  may   perhaps  be   best  understood 


96  W:eYI,BR   THE   BUTCHER. 

from  his  own  following  egotistical  statement,  which  is 
well-authenticated : 

"I  care  not  for  America,  England,  or  any  other  coun- 
tr)',  but  only  for  the  treaties  we  have  with  them.  They 
are  the  law.  I  know  I  am  merciless,  but  mercy  has  no 
place  in  war.  I  know  the  reputation  which  has  been 
built  up  for  me.  I  care  not  what  is  said  about  me  un- 
less it  is  a  lie  so  grave  as  to  occasion  alarm.  I  am  not  a 
politician.    I  am  Weyler.'^ 

Contrast  with  these  utterances,  the  words  of  Maximo 
Gomez,  the  grand  old  man  of  Cuba,  in  his  instructions 
to  his  men: 

"Do  not  risk  your  life  unnecessarily.  You  have  only 
one  and  can  best  serve  your  country  by  saving  it.  Dead 
men  cannot  fire  guns.  Keep  your  head  cool,  your  ma- 
chete warm,  and  we  will  yet  free  Cuba." 

Gomez,  by  the  way,  at  one  time,  served  under  Wey- 
ler,  the  former  a  captain,  the  latter  as  a  colonel.  The 
noble  Cuban  leader  certainly  did  not  obtain  his  views  of 
modern  warfare  from  his  then  superior  officer. 

When  Weyler  arrived  in  Cuba  he  had  at  his  command 
at  least  one  hundred  and  twenty  thousand  regulars,  fifty 
thousand  volunteers  and  a  large  naval  coast  guard. 
Rather  a  formidable  force  to  subdue  what  has  been 
characterized  as  a  handful  of  bandits. 

His  policy  from  the  beginning  was  one  of  extermina- 
tion, and  he  made  war  upon  those  who  were  not  in  arms 
against  Spain  as  well  as  those  who  were,  upon  women 
and  children  as  well  as  upon  men. 

Although  Weyler  did  not   begin   what   may  be  called 


WEYLER    THE    BUTCHER.  97 

active  operations  until  November  (he  arrived  in  Febru- 
ar}'),  still  he  persecuted  by  every  means  in  his  power 
the  pacificos,  that  is,  those  who  did  not  take  arms  for  or 
against  either  side. 

He  conceived  what  General  Fitzhugh  Lee  calls  "the 
brilliant  idea"  of  ruining  the  farmers  so  that  thej' 
should  not  be  able  to  give  any  aid  to  the  insurgents. 

Read  carefully  the  text  of  his  famous  reconcehtrado 
order,  which  brought  misery,  ruin  and  death  to  the 
peaceable  inhabitants  of  the  island: 

"I,  Don  Valeriano  Weyler  y  Nicolau,  Marquis  of 
Tenerife,  Governor-General,  Captain-General  of  this 
island  and  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Army,  etc.,  etc., 
hereby  order  and  command : 

"  ' ,  That  all  inhabitants  of  the  country  districts,  or 
those  who  reside  outside  the  lines  of  fortifications  of  the 
towns,  shall  within  a  delay  of  eight  da3^s  enter  the  towns 
which  are  occupied  by  the  troops.  Any  individual 
found  outside  the  lines  in  the  country  at  the  expiration 
of  this  period  shall  be  considered  a  rebel  and  shall  be 
dealt  with  as  such. 

"2.  The  transport  of  food  from  the  towns,  and  the 
carrying  of  food  from  one  place  to  another  b}^  sea  or  by 
land,  without  the  permission  of  the  military  authorities 
of  the  place  of  departure,  is  absolutely  forbidden. 
Those  who  infringe  upon  the  order  will  be  tried  and 
punished  as  aiders  and  abettors  of  the  rebellion. 

"3.  The  owners  of  cattle  must  drive  their  herds  to 
the  towns,  or  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  towns,  for 
which  purposes  proper  escorts  will  be  given  them. 


98  WEYLER  THK  BUTCHKR. 

' '  4.  When  the  period  of  eight  days,  which  shall  be 
reckoned  in  each  district  from  the  day  of  the  publica- 
tion of  this  proclamation  in  the  country  town  of  the  dis- 
trict, shall  have  expired,  all  insurgents  who  may  pre- 
sent themselves  will  be  placed  under  my  orders  for  the 
purpose  of  designating  a  place  in  which  they  may  reside. 
The  furnishing  of  news  concerning  the  enemy,  which 
can  be  availed  of  with  advantage,  will  serve  as  a  recom- 
mendation to  them ;  also,  when  the  presentation  is  made 
with  firearms  in  their  possession,  and  when,  and  more 
especially,  when  the  insurgents  present  themselves  in 
numbers.  Valeriano  Weyler. " 

Was  there  ever  a  more  damnable — there  is  no  other 
word  for  it — a  more  damnable  proclamation  issued  ? 

And  the  result?  Words  can  scarcely  do  justice  to  it. 
It  was  the  death-sentence  of  thousands  and  thousands  of 
innocent  people,  the  large  majority  of  whom  were  wo- 
men and  children. 

The  peasant  farmers,  with  their  families,  were  only 
allowed  to  bring  with  them  what  they  could  carry  on 
their  backs,  when  they  were  forced  to  leave  all  that  they 
had  in  the  world,  and  remove  to  the  places  of  "concen- 
tration," where  it  was  impossible  for  them  to  make  a 
living. 

Before  leaving  they  saw  their  houses  and  crops 
burned,  and  their  live  stock,  be  it  much  or  little,  that 
they  possessed,  confiscated. 

Starvation  was  before  them,  and  starve  they  did.  And 
let  the  reader  bear  this  fact  well  in  mind — these  were 
non-combatants,  women  and  children. 


WKYI^KR  THE  BUTCHBR.  99 

The  deaths  have  occurred  in  ghastly  numbers.  More 
than  two  hundred  thousand  have  perished  from  starva- 
tion and  starvation  alone,  with  no  hand  from  the  gov- 
ernment stretched  out  to  aid  them.  The  record  made 
b}'  the  butcher  and  the  butcher's  emissaries  is  without 
parallel  in  all  history.  No  wonder  that  the  United  States 
held  its  breath  in  horror,  before  raising  its  mailed  hand 
to  strike  forever  the  chains  from  this  suffering  people. 

General  Weyler  did  not  care  how  deeply  he  should 
wade  in  blood,  nor  to  what  age  or  sex  this  blood  be- 
longed, so  long  as  he  should  attain  his  ends. 

Talk  as  you  please  about  the  atrocities  of  the  Turks, 
but  they  pale  before  those  of  the  Spaniards  in  Cuba ; 
acts  committed,  too,  not  in  secret,  but  openly  and  by 
public  proclamation. 

Read  what  Stephen  Bonsai,  who  was  an  eye-witness, 
says  in  his  book:  "The  Real  Condition  of  Cuba  To- 
day." 

"In  the  western  provinces,  we  find  between  three 
and  four  hundred  thousand  people  penned  up  in  starva- 
tion stations  and  a  prey  to  all  kinds  of  epidemic  dis- 
eases. They  are  without  means  and  without  food,  and 
with  only  the  shelter  that  the  dried  palm-leaves  of  their 
hastily  erected  boliios  afford,  and  in  the  rainy  season 
that  is  now  upon  them,  there  is  no  shelter  at  all.  They 
have  less  clothing  than  the  Patagonian  savages,  and, 
half  naked,  they  sleep  upon  the  ground,  exposed  to  the 
noxious  vapors  which  these  low-lying  swamp-lands 
emit.  They  have  no  prospect  before  them  but  to  die,  or, 
what  is  more  cruel,  to  see  those   of   their  own  flesh    and 


lOO  WEYLER   THK   BUTCHKR. 

blood  dying  about  them,  and  to  be  powerless  to  succor 
and  to  save.  About  these  starvation  stations  the  savage 
sentries  pace  up  and  down  with  ready  rifle  and  bared 
machete,  to  shoot  down  and  to  cut  up  any  one  who 
dares  to  cross  the  line.  And  yet,  who  are  these  men  who 
are  shot  down  in  the  night  like  midnight  marauders? 
And  why  is  it  they  seek,  with  all  the  desperate  courage 
of  despair,  to  cross  that  line  where  death  is  always 
awaiting  their  coming,  and  almost  invariably  overtakes 
them?  They  are  attempting  nothing  that  history  will 
preserve  upon  its  imperishable  tablets,  or  even  this  pas- 
sing generation  remember.  No,  they  are  simply  attempt- 
ing to  get  beyond  the  starvation  lines,  to  dig  their  po- 
tatoes and  yams,  to  bring  home  again  to  the  hovel  in 
which  their  families  are  housed  with  death  and  hunger 
all  about  them.  And  they  do  their  simple  duty,  not 
blinded  as  to  the  danger,  or  without  warning  as  to  their 
probable  fate,  for  hardly  an  hour  of  their  interminable 
day  passes  without  their  hearing  the  sharp  click  of  the 
trigger  and  the  hoarse  cry  of  the  sentry  which  precede 
the  murderous  volley ;  and  every  morning,  through  the 
narrow,  filthy  lanes  upon  which  the  huts  have  been 
erected  the  guerillas,  drive  along  the  pack-mules  bear- 
ing the  mutilated  bodies  of  those  who  have  been  pun- 
ished cruelly  for  the  crime  of  seeking  food  to  keep  their 
children  from  starvation.  This  colossal  crime,  with  all 
the  refinement  of  slow  torture,  is  so  barbarous,  so  blood- 
thirsty and  yet  so  exquisite,  that  the  human  mind  re- 
fuses to  believe  it,  and  revolts  at  the  suggestion  that  it 
was  conceived,  planned  and  plotted  by  a  man.     And  yet 


wkyi.br  the  butcher.  ioi 

this  crime,  this  murder  of  thousands  of  innocent  men, 
women  and  children,  is  now  being  daily  committed  in 
Cuba,  at  our  very  doors  and  well-nigh  in  sight  of  our 
shores,  and  we  are  paying  very  little  heed  to  the 
spectacle." 

These  words  were  written  before  the  United  States 
came  to  the  rescue,  and  the  criticism  in  the  last  sentence 
is,  thank  Heaven,  no  longer  applicable.  We  are  slow  to 
act  perhaps,  but  when  we  do  act,  our  Vv^ork  is  effective, 
and  we  never  rest  until  our  aim  is  accomplished. 


I02  THK   CRIME   OF  THE   CENTURY, 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE   CRIME   OF   THE   CENTURY. 

To  enlarge  upon  the  sufferings  of  the  Cubans  is  a 
painful  task,  but  it  is  a  task  that  must  be  accomplished, 
in  the  interests  of  justice  and  humanity,  and  also  that 
the  reader  may  clearly  understand  why  it  was  the 
bounden  duty  of  the  United  States  to  interfere. 

Let  us  therefore  proceed  with  the  evidence. 

Julian  Hawthorne  gives  his  testimony  as  follows : 

"These  people  have  starved  in  a  land  capable  of  sup- 
plying tens  of  millions  of  people  with  abundant  food. 
The  very  ground  on  which  they  lie  down  to  breathe 
their  last  might  be  planted  with  produce  that  would 
feed  them  to  repletion.  But  so  far  from  any  effort  to 
save  them  having  been  made  by  Spain,  she  has  wilfully 
and  designedly  compassed  their  destruction.  She  has 
driven  them  in  from  their  fields  and  plantations  and 
forbidden  them  to  help  themselves;  the  plantations 
themselves  have  been  laid  waste,  and  should  the  miser- 
able reconcentrados  attempt  under  the  pretended  kindly 
dispensation  of  Blanco  to  return  to  their  properties  they 
would  find  the  Spanish  guerillas  lying  in  wait  to 
massacre  them.  No  agony  of  either  mind  or  body  has 
been  wanting.  The  wife  has  lost  her  husband,  the 
mother,  her  children ;  the  child  its  parefits,  the  husband, 
his  family.  They  have  seen  them  die.     Often  they  have 


THK  CRIME  OF  THE  CENTURY.  I03 

seen  them  slaughtered  wantonly  as  they  lay  helpless, 
waiting  a  slower  end.  The  active  as  well  as  the  passive 
cruelties  of  the  Spaniards  toward  these  people  have 
been  well  nigh  unimaginable." 

Call  Richard  Harding  Davis  to  the  stand ! 

"In  other  wars  men  have  fought  with  men,  and 
women  have  suffered  indirectly  because  the  men  were 
killed,  but  in  this  war  it  is  the  women  herded  together 
in  the  towns  like  cattle  who  are  going  to  die,  while  the 
men  camped  in  the  fields  and  mountains  will  live." 

General  Fitz  Hugh  Lee  says: 

"General 'Weyler  believes  that  everything  is  fair  in 
war  and  every  means  justifiable  that  will  ultimately 
write  success  on  his  standards.  He  did  not  purpose  to 
make  war  with  velvet  paws,  but  to  achieve  his  purpose 
of  putting  down  the  insurrection,  if  he  had  to  wade 
through,  up  to  the  visor  of  his  helmet,  the  blood  of 
every  Cuban,  man,  women  and  child,  on  the  island." 

Now  hear  General  Lee  relate  the  following  incident, 
an  incident  which  created  much  discussion  and  feeling 
in  the  United  States: 

"Dr.  Ruiz,  an  American  dentist,  who  was  practicing 
his  profession  in  a  town  called  Guanabacoa,  some  four 
miles  from  Havana,  was  arrested.  A  railroad  train  be- 
tween Havana  and  this  town  had  been  captured  by  the 
insurgents,  and  the  next  day  the  Spanish  authorities  ar- 
rested a  large  number  of  persons  in  Guanabacoa,  charg- 
ing them  with  giving  information  which  enabled  the 
troops,  under  their  enterprising  young  leader,  Aran- 
guren,  to  make  the  capture;  and   among   these   persons 


I04  THE  CRIME  OF  THE  CENTURY. 

arrested  was  this  American.  He  was  a  strougly  built, 
athletic  man,  who  confined  himself  strictl}'  to  the  prac- 
tice of  his  profession  and  let  politics  alone.  He  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  train  being  captured,  but  that 
night  was  visiting  a  neighbor  opposite,  until  nine  or 
ten  o'clock,  when  he  returned  to  his  house  and  went  to 
bed.  He  was  arrested  by  the  police  the  next  morning; 
thrown  into  an  incommunicado  cell;  kept  there  some 
fifty  or  sixty  hours,  and  was  finally  (when  half  crazed 
by  his  horrible  imprisonment  and  calling  for  his  wife 
and  children)  struck  over  the  head  with  a  'billy'  in  the 
hands  of  a  brutal  jailer  and  died  from  the  effects.  Ruiz 
went  into  the  cell  an  unusually  healthy  and  vigorous 
man,  and  came  out  a  corpse." 

James  Creelman,  a  brilliant  newspaper  correspondent, 
gives  his  testimony: 

' '  Everywhere  the  breadwinners  of  Cuba  are  fleeing  in 
terror  before  the  Spanish  columns,  and  the  ranks  of  life 
are  being  turned  into  the  ranks  of  death,  for  the  Cuban 
who  has  seen  his  honest  and  harmless  neighbors  tied  up 
and  shot  before  his  eyes,  in  order  that  some  officer  may 
get  credit  for  a  battle,  takes  his  family  to  the  nearest 
town  or  city  for  safety,  and  then  goes  out  to  strike  a 
manly  blow  for  his  country." 

Senator  Thurston,  who  was  sent  to  Cuba  to  investi- 
gate and  report  the  condition  of  affairs,  in  a  passionate 
address  to  the  United  States  Senate  testifies: 

'  'For  myself  I  went  to  Cuba  firmly  believing  the  con- 
dition of  affairs  there  had  been  greatly  exaggerated  by 
the  press,  and  my  own  efforts  were  directed  in  the  first 


THE  CRIME  OF  THE  CENTURY.  I05 

instance  to  the  attempted  exposure  of  these  supposed 
exaggerations.  Mr.  President,  there  has  undoubtedly 
been  much  sensationalism  in  the  journalism  of  the  time, 
but  as  to  the  condition  of  affairs  in  Cuba,  there  has  been 
no  exaggeration,  because  exaggeration  has  been  impos- 
sible. The  pictures  in  the  American  newspapers  of  the 
starving  reconcentrados  are  true.  They  can  all  be  dupli- 
cated by  the  thousands.  I  never  saw,  and  please  God  I 
may  never  see  again,  so  deplorable  a  sight  as  the  recon- 
centrados in  the  suburbs  of  Mantanzas.  I  can  never  for- 
get to  my  dying  day  the  hopeless  anguish  in  their  de- 
spairing eyes.  Huddled  about  their  little  bark  huts, 
they  raised  no  voice  of  appeal  to  us  for  alms  as  we  went 
among  them.  The  government  of  Spain  has  not  and  will 
not  appropriate  one  dollar  to  save  these  people.  They 
are  now  being  attended  and  nursed  and  administered  to 
by  the  charity  of  the  United  States.  Think  of  the  spec- 
tacle !  We  are  feeding  these  citizens  of  Spain ;  we  are 
nursing  their  sick ;  we  are  saving  such  as  can  be  saved, 
and  yet  there  are  those  who  still  say :  '  It  is  right  for 
us  to  send  food,  but  we  must  keep  our  hands  ofiF. '  I 
say  that  the  time  has  come  when  muskets  ought  to  go 
with  the  food." 

Finally,  Senor  Enrique  Jose  Verona,  who  was  at  one 
time  a  deputy  to  the  vSpanish  Cortes,  sums  up  the  situa- 
tion as  follows : 

"Spain  denies  to  the  Cubans  all  effective  powers  in 
their  own  country.  Spain  condemns  the  Cubans  to  a 
political  inferiority  in  the  land  where  they  were  born. 
Spain  confiscates  the  product  of  the  Cubans'  labor  with- 


Io6  THK  CRIME  OP  THE  CENTURY. 

out  giving  them  in  return  either  safety,  prosperity  or 
education.  Spain  has  shown  itself  utterly  incapable  of 
governing  Cuba.  Spain  exploits,  impoverishes  and  de- 
moralizes Cuba." 

This  is  only  a  very  small  portion  of  the  testimony 
which  might  be  offered,  but  can  the  opinions  of  men  of 
undoubted  honor  and  veracity  be  impeached? 

Not  a  tithe  of  the  horrors  which  has  existed  in  the 
island  of  Cuba  has  been  told,  and  probably  never  will  be 
told.  Because  a  large  proportion  of  the  sufferers  did  not, 
like  Du  Barri  shriek  upon  the  scaffold,  but,  like  De 
Rohan,  died  mute. 

But  still  something  further  can  be  said  as  to  "  The 
Butcher's,"  methods,  and,  worse  still,  as  to  the  putting 
into  practice  of  those  methods.  The  insurgents  have  in- 
variably been  treated  as  if  they  were  pirates.  The  tiger- 
ish nature  of  Weyler  spared  no  one.  Refugees,  that  is 
those  who  did  not  obey  his  barbarous  proclamation, 
were  shot  down  in  cold  blood.  Starvation  was  his  pol- 
icy, and  starvation  too  of  those,  whatever  their  sympa- 
thies might  have  been,  had  never  raised  a  finger  against 
the  existing  government.  The  reconcentrados,  harassed 
beyond  all  measure,  saw  nothing  before  them  but  death, 
and  the  happiest  among  them  were  those  who  died  first. 

How  would  you,  reader,  like  to  be  shut  off,  with  no 
means  of  subsistence,  for  yourself,  your  wife  and  your 
children,  within  military  lines,  to  cross  which  meant  in- 
stant death  ? 

The  Butcher  could  not  conquer  this  valiant  people  in 
honorable  warfare,    and   therefore,    worthy   scion  of  his 


THE  CRIMK  OF  THE  CENTURY.  107 

blood,  he,  without  one  qualm  of  conscience,  determined 
to  exterminate  them.  Young  boys,  not  more  than  fif- 
teen or  sixteen  years  of  age,  were  charged  with  the 
crime  of  ' 'rebellion  and  incendiarism"  (that  was  the 
favorite  charge  of  Weyler),  and  sometimes  with 
the  pretence  of  a  trial,  sometimes  with  no  trial 
at  all,  were  shot  down  in  cold  blood  by  the  score.  Poor 
little  starving  babies  clung  to  their  mothers'  breasts 
from  which  no  substance  was  to  be  obtained.  Weyler 
knew  all  this,  and  in  his  palace  in  Havana  simply 
laughed,  content  so  long  as  each  day  the  death  rate  of 
the  Cubans  increased,  and  he  himself  was  gaining  favor 
with  his  government,  and  meanwhile  had  all  that  he 
wanted  to  eat  and  drink. 

The  merciless  wretch,  by  the  way,  was  ever  careful 
not  to  expose  his  own  precious  person  to  bullet  or 
machete. 

But  what  could  be  expected  of  him  ?  He  was  a  Span- 
iard, a  man  after  Spain's  own  heart,  and  one  whom  it 
was  her  delight   to  honor. 

This  picture  is  not  over-painted.  The  colors  if  any- 
thing are  laid  on  too  thin. 

Although  the  so-called  rebels  were  not  conquered  and 
never  could  be  conquered,  Weyler  was  constantly  send- 
ing reports  home  of  the  '  'pacification"  of  first  this  and 
then  that  portion  of  the  island.  This  he  probably  sup- 
posed was  necessary  to  placate  the  Spaniards,  who  are 
divided  amongst  themselves  and  ever  ready  to  rise 
against  the  existing  government  whatever  it  may 
be 


Io8  THE  CRIME  OF  THE  CENTURY. 

In  spite  of  all  this,  brute  Weyler  has  been  and  still  is 
the  idol  of  a  certain  class  of  Spaniards.  In  spite  of  all? 
No,  we  should  have  said,  because  of  all. 

One  of  his  adherents,  among  other  things,  said  to 
Stephen  Bonsai,  and  this  is  the  sort  of  utterance  that 
the  majority  of  Spain  applauds: 

"The  only  way  to  end  this  Cuban  question  is  the  way 
General  Wejder  is  going  about  it.  The  only  way  for 
Spain  to  retain  her  sovereignty  over  these  islands  is  to 
exterminate — butcher  if  you  like — every  man,  woman 
and  child  upon  it  who  is  infected  with  the  contagion 
and  dreams  of  Cuba  Libre.  These  people  must  be  exter- 
minated and  we  consider  no  measure  too  ruthless  to  be 
adopted  to  secure  this  end. 

' '  I  read  in  an  American  paper  the  other  day  that  Gen- 
eral Weyler  was  poisoning  the  streams  from  which  the 
insurgents  drink  in  Matanzas  province.  It  was  not  true, 
but  I  only  wish  it  had  been. 

"General  Weyler  is  our  man.  We  feel  sure  of 
him.  He  will  not  be  satisfied  until  every  insurgent 
lies  in  the  ditch  with  his  throat  cut,  and  that  is  all  we 
want. ' ' 

Stop  a  moment  and  think !  These  words  were 
spoken  at  the  end  of  the  nineteenth  century  by  the 
representative  of  a  professed  Christian  country.  How 
have  the  teachings  of  Christ,  who  always  and 
primarily  advocated  charity,  been  forgotten  or  per- 
verted ! 

The  whole  matter  of  Cuba  under  Spani.sh  rule  is  a 
disgrace  to  the  age  we  live  in. 


THE  CRIME  OF  THE  CENTURY.  I09 

But  (call  it  spread-eagleism  if  you  like)  the  United 
States  now  has  the  affair  in  hand.  It  can  and  will  right 
this  wrong,  and  so  effectively  that  there  will  be  no  pos- 
sibility of  its  recurrence. 


no  TWO  METHODS   OP  WARFARE. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

TWO   METHODS   OF   WARFARE:     THE   SPANISH   AND  THE 

CUBAN. 

Now  let  US  turn  to  the  one  crime,  so-called,  that  has 
been  alleged  against  the  Cubans. 

We  refer  to  the  burning  of  the  sugar  crops. 

That  this  has  been  done  on  each  and  every  occasion, 
no  one  will  deny.  At  firs't  glance,  it  seems  an  act  of 
vandalism.  But  is  it  so?  Let  us  examine  carefully  into 
the  causes  and  reasons  for  it. 

The  Spaniards  claim  that  it  is  a  notable  example  of 
the  reckless  and  uncivilized  methods  of  the  insurgents. 
On  the  contrary,  it  is  a  policy  which  was  carefully 
planned  and  systematically  carried  out  by  Gomez  and 
the  other  Cuban  leaders. 

In  a  proclamation  by  Gomez,  he  ordered  his  lieuten- 
ants to  burn  the  sugar  plantations,  but  he  did  not  tell 
them  to  destroy  the  mills,  because  he  did  not  wish,  in 
case  of  his  succeeding  in  his  purpose  of  liberating  Cuba, 
to  lay  the  producers  flat  upon  their  backs,  from  which 
position  they  could  never,  or,  only  with  the  utmost 
difficulty,  arise. 

The  destruction  of  the  sugar  cane  was  a  necessity  of 
war.  It  must  be  remembered  that  from  the  sugar  crop 
Spain  has  received  her  largest  revenue  from  Cuba,  and 
to  cut   off  this  source  of  revenue  is  to  cripple  Spain   and 


TWO  METHODS   OF  WARFARE.  1 1 1 

take  awaj'  from  her  a  large  sum  of  money  with  which 
she  might  otherwise  wage  warfare. 

To  show  that  the  damage  wrought  is  by  no  means 
irreparable,  we  cannot  do  better  than  quote  Baron 
Antomarchi,  a  Frenchman  who  lived  for  a  long  time  in 
Cuba,  was  there  during  the  early  part  of  the  present  in- 
surrection, and  knows  of  what  he  is  speaking: 

"Since  the  suppression  of  slavery,  and  as  a  result  of 
the  high  price  of  labor  the  work  of  sugar  making  had 
been  modified.  In  former  times  a  sugar  planter  consid- 
ered his  plantation  his  most  necessary  possession.  After 
the  process  of  manufacture  was  modified,  it  was  his 
sugar  mill  upon  which  he  depended ;  his  plantation  was 
less  important.  So  in  burning  the  sugar  crop,  Gomez 
did  not  strike  a  death-blow  at  the  producer.  It  is  a  well 
known  fact  that  when  the  cane  growth  is  cut  by  fire 
and  the  fields  are  burntclose  to  the  ground,  the  yield  of 
the  following  season  is  increased  and  improved ;  so  we 
see  that  Gomez  did  not  ruin  the  country  when  he  burned 
the  plantations.  True,  the  fields  have  been  burned,  but 
they  will  spring  up  with  a  more  vigorous  luxuriance 
after  the  rest  which  was  one  of  the  conditions  imposed 
upon  the  first  agricultural  community  of  which  we  have 
any  reliable  record,  and  if  the  mills  which  Gomez  has 
left  intact  are  not  destroyed  by  some  avithority  equally 
potent,  when  the  country  is  reorganized,  the  sugar  in- 
dustry may  flourish  to  a  degree  undreamed  of  before  the 
Cuban  war  for  liberty." 

Besides  depriving  Spain  of  her  revenue,  Gomez  had 
another  though  a  lesser  reason,  for    burning    the  sugar 


112  TWO  METHODS    OF  WARFARE. 

cane.  He  knew  that  those  who  were  thrown  out  of  em- 
ployment would  flock  to  his  standard,  and  his  forces 
thereby  be  greatly  augmented. 

On  the  whole,  we  do  not  see  that  the  criticism  and 
blame  which  have  been  given  to  the  insurgents  for  de- 
stroying the  crops  and  for  the  time  being  laying  waste 
the  land,  are  deserved.  It  was  a  measure  of  war,  and 
one,  which  it  seems  to  us,  under  the  circumstances,  was 
thoroughly  justified. 

Now  let  us  contrast,  for  a  moment,  the  different 
methods  of  the  Spaniards  and  the  Cubans  in  waging 
warfare. 

In  the  first  place,  we  do  not  mean  to  affirm  that  the 
insurgents  have  not  committed  actions,  which,  in  the 
light  of  civilization,  are  indefensible,  but  they  are  few 
and  far  between,  and  they  were  forced  upon  them. 
After  all  the  horrors  to  which  they  were  subjected,  they 
would  have  been  less  than  human  if  they  had  not  retali- 
ated. 

The  Cubans,  both  in  the  Ten  Years'  War  and  in  the 
present  one,  have  been  merciful  to  those  of  the  enemy 
who  fell  into  their  hands.  The  latter  have  been  almost 
invariably  treated  with  kindness  and  allowed  to  go  free 
and  unmolested. 

But  the  Spaniards  never  reciprocated.  It  has  been 
their  invariable  policy  not  to  exchange  prisoners,  a  not- 
able instance  of  this  being  their  recent  refusal  to  ex- 
change the  gallant  Hobson  and  his  comrades.  To  be 
sure,  according  to  international  law  the}'  are  not  com- 
pelled to  do  this,  but  it  is  doubtful   if  there   is  another 


TWO  METHODS  OF  WARFARE.  II3 

civilized  nation  (by  the  way,  it  is  an  undeserved  com- 
pliment to  intimate  that  Spain  is  civilized),  which 
would  have  acted  as  the  country  which  boasts  of  its 
chivalry  has  done. 

Just  here,  let  us  say  that  those  acts  of  cruelty  which 
have  been  committed  by  the  Cuban  army  have  been  very 
far  from  receiving  the  sanction  of  their  leaders.  On  the 
contrary,  they  have  been  done  in  violation  of  the  ex- 
plicit orders  of  those  leaders;  and  whenever  the  offend- 
ers have  been  discovered,  they  have  been  hanged  as 
bandits  to  the  limb  of  the  nearest  tree. 

The  hatred  and  barbarity  which  the  Spaniards  have 
without  exception,  evinced  toward  the  Cubans  have 
done  much  to  alienate  the  latter,  have  been  the  chief 
causes  why  peace  could  not  be  maintained,  and  have 
made  only  one  outcome  possible — the  freedom  and  inde- 
pendence of  the  island. 

We  have  already  seen  the  humanity  with  which 
Gomez,  Maceo  and  the  other  Cuban  chiefs  treated  the 
wounded  of  the  enemy  who  chanced  to  fall  into  their 
hands. 

But  how  was  it  on  the  other  side  ?  How  did  the  Span- 
iards behave  toward  the  insurgent  wounded  ?  When  not 
killed  at  once  and  their  sufferings  ended  immediately, 
they  were  cast  into  loathsome  dungeons,  with  insuffi- 
cient food  and  with  no  medical  attendance  whatever. 

Now  to  a  charge  which  has  more  than  once  been 
brought  against  Spain,  which  has  been  brought  against 
her  recently,  which  her  government  has  indignantly 
denied,     but     which     both     in     the    past     and     the 


114  TWO  METHODS   OF  WARFAR:^. 

present  has  been  proved  be3'0nd  any  question  of  a 
doubt. 

The  charge  refers  to  an  action  which,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  Spain,  has  never  been  committed  but  by  the 
most  savage  tribes,  the  Indians  of  North  America  and 
the  inhabitants  of  darkest  Africa.  We  do  not  think  that 
even  the  Turks  were  ever  accused  of  such  an  atrocious, 
unspeakable  act. 

We  mean  the  mutilation  of  the  dead  bodies  (often  in  a 
horrible,  obscene  way)  left  upon  the  battlefield. 

It  is  with  regret  and  loathing  that  we  approach  the 
subject.     But  facts  must  be  spoken. 

There  has  been  scarcely  a  combat  between  the  Span- 
iards and  the  Cubans,  in  all  the  revolutions  which  have 
occurred,  where  the  former  have  not  been  guilty  of  the 
revolting  practice  of  the  mutilation  of  dead  bodies. 

Indeed  the  most  savage  of  tribes  have  never  gone 
further  in  the  demoniac  wreaking  of  vengeance  upon 
the  fallen  bodies  of  the  enemy  than  the  Spaniards  have. 

It  has  been  a  common  custom  with  them  to  disfigure, 
mangle  and  commit  nameless  indignities  upon  the  dead. 

When  Nestor  Aranguren,  who  5'ou  will  remember  was 
one  of  the  bravest  of  the  Cuban  leaders,  the  ' '  Marion," 
the  "Swamp  Fox"  of  the  insurrection,  was  killed,  his 
body,  covered  with  honorable  wounds  was  taken  to  Ha- 
vana, and  paraded  before  the  citizens,  subject  to  their 
jeers  and  curses. 

When  another  insurgent  leader,  Castillo,  was  killed, 
the  same  frightful  spectacle  was  witnessed. 

Indeed,  it  has  been   the    rule    among    the  Spaniards 


TWO  METHODS    OP  WARFARE.  II5 

whenever  the  body  of  a  so-called  rebel  leader  fell  into 
their  hands,  to  drag  his  nude  and  mutilated  body,  tied 
at  the  end  of  a  horse's  tail,  throughout  the  nearest  town, 
and  the  excuse  for  this  was — what  ?  That  the  body 
might  be  fully  identified. 

Among  the  Cubans,  there  is  only  one  instance  re- 
lated where  they  retaliated  in  kind.  And  this  was  when 
it  is  said  that  they  sent  a  Spanish  soldier  back  to  Ha- 
vana with  his  tongue  cut  out.  But  even  this  story,  the 
only  act  of  brutality  alleged  against  them  is  not  well 
authenticated,  resting  as  it  does  entirely  upon  Spanish 
evidence.  And  we  know  well  how  much  credence  can 
be  given  to  that  evidence. 

To  come  down  to  more  recent  occurrences. 

When  it  was  first  reported  that  the  bodies  of  our 
marines  killed  at  Guantanamo  were  subjected  to  un- 
mentionable mutilations  by  the  Spaniards,  we  could  not 
believe  it.  It  was  said  that  the  condition  of  the  bodies 
was  caused  by  shots  fired  from  the  Mauser  rifle.  But 
the  Mauser  rifle  inflicts  a  clean  cut  hole.  It  could  not 
possibly  have  been  responsible  for  the  horrible  condi- 
tion of  the  bodies.  It  is  impossible  for  us  to  explain 
further  in  print.  Remember  or  look  up  what  was  done 
by  the  Apaches  in  some  of  our  Indian  wars,  and  then 
from  your  knowledge,  or  the  knowledge  gained  by  re- 
search, fill  up  the  hiatus. 

And  the  Spaniards  cannot  claim  in  this  latter  in- 
stance, if  indeed  they  can  in  any  other,  that  these  bar- 
barities were  committed  by  irregular  and  irresponsible 
troops.      It  is  beyond   question  that  by   far  the  greater 


Il6  Two  METHODS    OF  WARFARE. 

portion  of  the  troops  employed  against  Colonel  Hunt- 
ington (we  are  referring  now  to  the  affair  at  Guanta- 
namo)  belonged  to  the  regular  army,  under  the  com- 
mand of  General  Liuares. 

The  New  York  Herald,  in  an  editorial  on  the  subject, 
remarks  most  justly  and  forcibly :  ' '  What  sort  of  a  de- 
graded spectacle,  then,  does  Spain  present,  going  whin- 
ing through  Europe  in  search  of  intercession  or  inter- 
vention, with  such  a  damnable  record  against  her,  made 
in  the  very  first  engagement  of  troops? 

' '  We  can  hear  good  old  John  Bull  sputter  out  his 
righteous  indignation,  but  will  his  Holiness  the  Pope 
recognize  such  degenerate  child?  Can  the  punctilious 
Francis  Joseph  of  Austria  afford  to  condone  crimes  like 
these?  Will  the  Emperor  William  or  the  Czar  of  Russia 
lift  his  voice  in  behalf  of  such  fiends?  Can  our  sister  re- 
public, France,  sympathize  with  the  monsters  who  dis- 
grace the  very  name  of  soldier? 

'  'Not  so!  All  Europe  will  join  with  our  own  govern- 
ment, now  thoroughly  aroused  to  the  indignities  put 
upon  it,  and  voice  the  stern  edict  of  humanity  and 
civilization: 

"Spain  has  now  placed  herself  without  the  pale  of 
the  nations.  Let  her  meet  the  retribution  she  so  justly 
deserves." 

Senor  Estrado  Palma,  the  representative  of  Cuba  in 
the  United  States,  has  declared  in  a  manifesto  that  the 
Cubans  threw  themselves  into  the  struggle  advisedly 
and  deliberately,  that  they  knew  what  they  had  to  face 
and  decided  unflinchingly  to  persevere  until  they  should 


TWO  METHODS  OF  WARFARE.  llj 

ree  themselves  from  the  Spanish  government.  Expe- 
rience has  taught  them  that  they  have  nothing  to  envy 
in  the  Spaniards;  that  in  fact,  they  feel  themselves  su- 
perior to  them,  and  can  expect  from  Spain  no  improve- 
ment, no  better  education. 

Slavery  is  ended  in  Cuba,  and  the  white  and  the  col- 
ored live  together  in  perfect  harmony,  fighting  side  by 
side,  to  obtain  political  liberty. 

Senor  Palma,  by  the  wa}',  asserts,  with  how  much 
authority  we  are  unable  to  state,  that  the  colored  popu- 
lation in  Cuba  is  superior  to  that  of  the  United  States. 
He  says  that  they  are  industrious,  intelligent  and  lovers 
of  learning;  also,  that,  during  the  last  fifteen  years, 
the}'  have  attained  remarkable  intellectual  development. 

There  are  certain  utterances  of  Senor  Palma  in  this 
manifesto  which  deserve  to  be  quoted  in  full,  so  preg- 
nant are  they  with  truth,  and  so  full  of  food  for  thought 
to  the  average  American  citizen,  whether  he  agrees  with 
them  or  not.    Senor  Palma  says: 

' '  We  Cubans  have  a  thousandfold  more  reason  in  our 
endeavor  to  free  ourselves  from  the  Spanish  yoke  than 
had  the  people  of  the  thirteen  colonies,  when,  in  1775, 
they  rose  in  arms  against  the  British  government.  The 
people  of  these  colonies  were  in  full  enjoyment  of  all 
the  rights  of  man ;  they  had  liberty  of  conscience,  free- 
dom of  speech,  libertj'  of  the  press,  the  right  of  public 
meeting  and  the  right  of  free  locomotion.  They  elected 
those  who  governed  them,  they  made  their  own  laws, 
and,  in  fact,  enjoyed  the  blessings  of  self-government. 
They  were  not  under  the  sway  of  a  captain-general  with 


Il8  TWO  METHODS   OF  WARFARE. 

arbitrary  powers,  who,  at  his  will  could  imprison  them, 
deport  them  to  penal  colonies,  or  order  their  execu- 
tion even  without  the  semblance  of  a  court-martial. 
They  did  not  have  to  pay  a  permanent  army  and  navj' 
in  order  that  they  might  be  kept  in  subjection,  nor  to 
feed  a  swarm  of  hungry  employees  yearly  sent  over 
from  the  metropolis  to  pre}'-  upon  the  country.  They 
were  never  subjected  to  a  stupid  and  crushing  customs 
tariff  which  compelled  them  to  go  to  home  markets  for 
millions  of  merchandise  annually  which  they  could  buy 
much  cheaper  elsewhere ;  they  were  never  compelled  to 
cover  a  budget  of  twenty-six  or  thirty  millions  a  year 
without  the  consent  of  the  taxpayers  and  for  the  pur- 
pose of  defraying  the  expenses  of  the  army  and  navy  of 
the  oppressor,  to  pay  the  salaries  of  thousands  of  worth- 
less European  employees,  the  whole  interest  on  a  debt 
not  incurred  by  the  colony,  and  other  expenditures 
from  which  the  island  received  no  benefit  whatever;  for, 
out  of  all  those  millions,  only  the  paltry  sum  of  seven 
hundred  thousand  dollars  was  apparently  applied  for 
works  of  internal  improvement,  and  one-half  of  which 
invariably  went  into  the  pockets  of  Spanish  employees. 

"If  the  right  of  the  thirteen  British  colonies  to  rise 
in  arms  in  order  to  acquire  their  independence  has  never 
been  questioned  because  of  the  attempt  of  the  mother 
country  to  tax  them  by  a  duty  upon  tea,  or  by  the 
Stamp  Act,  will  there  be  a  single  citizen  in  this  great 
republic  of  the  United  States,  whether  he  be  a  public  or 
private  man,  who  will  doubt  the  justice,  the  necessity  in 
which  the  Cuban  people  find   themselves   of  fighting  to- 


TWO  METHODS    OF  WARFARE.  II9 

day  and  to-morrow  and  always,  until  they  shall  have 
overthrown  Spanish  oppression  and  tyranny  in  their 
country,  and  formed  themselves  into  a  free  and  inde- 
pendent republic?" 

Now,  honestly,  all  prejudice  aside,  this  is  not  a  bad 
brief  for  the  plaintiff,  is  it? 

There  is  one  more  document  to  which  we  desire  to 
call  your  attention.  And  that  is,  a  letter  written  to 
Professor  Starr  Jordan,  of  the  Leland  Stanford,  Jr., 
University  of  San  Francisco,  by  a  Havanese  gentleman 
of  undoubted  integrity  and  of  Spanish  origin. 

Professor  Jordan  declares  that  this  letter  seems  to 
show  that  ' '  the  rebellion  is  not  a  mere  bandit  outbreak 
of  negroes  and  jailbirds,  but  the  effort  of  the  whole 
people  to  throw  off  the  yoke  of  a  government  they  find 
intolerable." 

The  letter  states,  among  other  things,  that  the  insur- 
rection was  begun  and  is  kept  up  by  Cuban  people ;  that 
the  Spanish  government  has  made  colossal  and  unheard- 
of  efforts  to  put  it  down,  but  has  not  succeeded  in  di- 
minishing it;  on  the  contrary,  the  insurrection  has 
spread  from  one  extreme  of  the  island  to  the  other;  that 
the  flower  of  the  Cuban  youth  is  in  the  army  of  the  in- 
surrection, in  whose  ranks  are  many  physicians,  law- 
yers, druggists,  professors,  artists,  business  men,  engi- 
neers and  men  of  that  ilk. 

Professor  Jordan's  correspondent  declares  that  this 
fact  can  be  proved  by  the  excellent  consular  service  of 
the  United  States. 

He  admits  that  destruction   has   been  carried  on  by 


I20  TWO  METHODS   OF  WARFARB. 

both  sides,  but  affirms  that  the  insurgents  began  by  de- 
stroying their  own  property,  in  order  to  deprive  the 
troops  of  the  government  of  shelter  and  sustenance. 

He  further  declares  that  the  insurgents  will  continue 
in  their  course  until  they  fulfill  their  purpose,  carrying 
all  before  them  by  fire  and  blood. 

He  concludes  as  follows: 

"All  eyes  are  directed  toward  the  north,  to  the  repub- 
lic which  is  the  mother  of  all  Americans.  The  people  of 
the  United  States  must  bear  strongly  in  mind  now,  as 
never  before,  that  profession  is  null  and  void,  if  action 
does  not  affirm  it." 

But  action  has  come  at  last,  as  the  fiendish  Spaniards 
have  already  found  out  to  their  cost. 

What  is  Cuba,  the  "Pearl  of  the  Antilles,"  at  the 
present  time  of  writing?  The  answer  to  that  question 
is  as  follows: 

A  land  devastated  and  temporarily  ruined;  a  gem 
besmirched  almost  beyond  recognition ;  a  heap  of  smok- 
ing ashes;  a  population  of  starving  men,  women  and 
children,  with  an  iron  hand  clutching  remorselessly  at 
their  hearts;  a  horrible,  ghastly  picture  of  what  savage 
men  are  capable  of  in  the  way  of  destruction. 

Now,  Americans,  people  of  the  free  and  independent 
United  States;  you  who  enjoy  all  the  blessings  of  lib- 
erty ;  you  who  can  pursue  your  avocations  without  let 
or  hindrance;  you  who  are  the  jury  in  this  case — the 
evidence  is  before  you. 

You  have  undoubtedly  heard  it  said  that  the  interfer- 
ence of  the  United  States  was  unwarrantable;  that  there 


TWO  METHODS    OF  WARFARE.  121 

was  no  real  reason  for  the  present  Spanish-American 
war;  that  a  stronger  country  took  advantageof  a  weaker; 
and  other  arguments  add  nauseam. 

But  is  there  one  of  our  readers  who  would  see  a  wom- 
an, or  a  weak  though  honorable  man,  attacked  by  a  sav- 
age foe,  without  interfering,  and  doing  the  best  he 
could  to  give  life  and  freedom  to  the  oppressed? 

Think  it  all  over,  Americans,  and  think  it  over  care- 
fully and  judiciously. 

At  your  own  doors,  is  a  poor,  miserable,  starving 
wretch,  starving  from  no  fault  of  his,  and  with  a  bull- 
dog, not  your  own,  but  belonging  to  a  neighbor  (a 
neighbor,  grant  you  with  whom  j^ou  have  always  hitherto 
been  at  peace)  about  to  fasten  its  fangs  in  the  throat 
of  this  unhappy  man. 

Would  you  hold  your  hands,  saying  that  it  was  no 
affair  of  yours,  or,  with  your  superior  strength,  would 
you  fly  to  the  rescue  ? 

Once  more,  Americans,  you  have  heard  the  whole  evi- 
dence. The  case  is  in  your  hands. 

What  is  your  verdict? 


122  THE    butcher's    CAMPAIGN, 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    butcher's   campaign. 

Now  let  us  go  back  to  the  making  of  history,  to  the 
time  when  the  butcher  Weyler  came  to  Cuba  to  assume 
the  governor-generalship. 

By  this  time  the  Cuban  question  had  been  brought 
authoritatively  before  the  United  States  Senate,  the 
people  were  beginning  to  be  strongl)'  roused  with  indig- 
nation at  the  state  of  affairs  in  Cuba,  and  there  was  con- 
siderable excitement  when  the  news  of  Weyler 's  appoint- 
ment became  known. 

Strange  to  say,  the  insurgents  rejoiced  rather  than 
grieved  at  this  appointment,  the  cause  of  which  is  not 
far  to  seek.  They  knew  thoroughly  well  Weyler's  char- 
acter, and  what  his  policy  was  more  than  likely  to  be. 
They  thought  that  it  would  drive  all  the  Cubans,  who 
were  wavering,  into  their  ranks  and  would  at  last  force 
the  United  States,  whose  people,  when  all  is  said  and 
done,  were  their  natural  allies  and  defenders,  to  inter- 
vene. 

After  the  battle  of  Coliseo,  Gomez  and  Maceo  made 
their  way  through  Madruga,  Nueva-Paz  and  Guines. 
Then  they  destroyed,  at  a  large  number  of  points,  the 
very  important  railway  which  connected  Havana  with 
Batabano,  and  also  cut  the  telegraph  wires.  When  they 
had   accomplished    this,     the    two    leaders    separated, 


THE    butcher's    campaign.  I23 

Gomez  to  advance  in  the  direction  of  Havana,  and 
Maceo  to  invade  Piuar  del  Rio,  which  is  in  the  extreme 
west  of  the  island. 

Gomez  succeeded  in  burning  several  more  or  less  im- 
portant suburbs  of  Havana. 

Almost  the  first  military  movement  that  Weyler  made 
was  an  attempt  to  cut  off  Maceo  and  prevent  his  com- 
munication with  the  other  detachments  of  the  Cuban 
army.  It  seemed  to  be  his  chief  purpose  to  compass  the 
death  of  the  mulatto  leader,  a  purpose  which  at  last  was 
most  unfortunately  accomplished,  but  then  only  through 
treacherj'. 

In  emulation  of  his  predecessor,  Wej'ler  also  tried  his 
hand  at  trocha  building.  He  constructed  a  fence  of  this 
description  across  Cuba  between  the  port  of  Artemisa 
and  the  bay  of  Majana,  about  twenty-five  miles  from 
Havana. 

It  may  be  of  interest  to  describe  this  particular  trocha, 
as  it  was  one  of,  if  not  the  most  important,  and  a  good 
example  of  the  others. 

As  its  name,  trocha,  signifies,  it  was  a  ditch,  or 
rather  two  ditches,  some  three  yards  wide  and  the  same 
in  depth,  with  a  road  between  them  broad  enough  to  al- 
low cavalry  to  pass.  On  each  bank  was  a  barbed  wire 
fence,  to  stop  the  assailants'  progress.  Beyond  the  two 
ditches,  were  trous-de-loup,  or  wolf-traps,  from  twenty 
to  seventy  feet  apart.  At  every  hundred  yards  or  so  there 
were  fortifications.  After  night  fell,  this  fortified  line  was 
lighted  by  electricity.  Twelve  thousand  men  comprised 
the  garrison,  besides  outposts  of  half  as  many  more. 


124  THE   butcher's   CAMPAIGN. 

We5'ler  prided  himself  greatl)'  upon  this  trocha,  which 
was  intended  to  keep  the  rebels  at  a  distance. 

But,  in  spite  of  all  the  precautions  taken,  the  wily 
Maceo  and  his  men  more  than  once  crossed  the  trocha, 
and  the  Spanish  were  not  the  wiser  until  it  was  too  late 
to  prevent  them. 

Once,  when  they  had  passed  the  obstruction  without 
a  shot  being  fired,  the  insurgents  tore  up  some  distance 
of  a  railway  line  on  the  further  side  of  the  trocha,  the 
Cuban  leader  remarking: 

"We  did  this  just  to  show  the  enemy  that  we  noticed 
their  plaything." 

The  headquarters  of  the  insurgents  was  and  is  up  to 
the  present  writing,  a  place  called  Cubitas,  the  top  of 
a  mountain,  something  over  a  score  of  miles  from  Puerto 
Principe.  It  is  practically  impregnable,  only  a  very  nar- 
row spiral  path  leading  up  to  it.  A  handful  of  men 
could  defend  it  against  a  large  army.  The  little  plain 
on  top  of  the  mountain  has  an  area  of  more  than  a 
square  mile.  It  is  arable  land,  and  many  food  products 
are  raised  there.  The  insurgents  have  constructed  here 
quite  a  number  of  wooden  buildings,  and  they  have  also 
a  dynamite  factory.  It  would  take  a  long  time  to  cap- 
ture the;  place  by  storm  or  to  starve  the  defenders 
out. 

The  Cubans  have  had  one  great  advantage,  that  is, 
they  are  acclimated.  Quite  the  contrary  is  true  of  the 
Spanish  army  of  invasion,  and  their  ranks  have  suffered 
far  more  from  the  climate  than  they  have  from  the  bul- 
lets of  the  foe.   Added  to  this,  their  wages  are  greatly  in 


THK  butcher's    campaign.  1 25 

arrears  and  the  rations  provided  for  them  are  unwhole- 
some and  insufficient.  The  surgeons  have  a  very  small 
supply  of  quinine  and  antiseptics,  both  of  which  are  ab- 
solutely essential. 

The  strength  of  the  two  armies,  at  the  time  of  .  Wey- 
ler's  arrival  in  Cuba  was  about  as  follows:  The  govern- 
ment has  200,000  men,  including  the  60,000  volunteers, 
while  the  insurgents  numbered  not  much  more  than  a 
fourth  of  this,  some  fifty  or  sixty  thousand  men,  which 
were  scattered  among  the  various  provinces,  the  largest 
proportion  being  massed  in  Santiago  de  Cuba. 

There  were  twenty -four  generals  in  the  Cuban  army, 
nineteen  being  white,  three  black,  one  a  mulatto,  and 
one  an  Indian;  of  the  thirtj^-four  colonels,  twenty-seven 
were  white,  five  were  black,  and  two  were  mulattoes. 

The  record  of  the  mortality  among  the  Spanish  sol- 
diers is  an  appalling  one,  something  simply  ghastly  to 
contemplate. 

Harper's  Weekl}'  has  published  statistics  concerning 
Spanish  losses  in  Cuba,  which  were  obtained  from  a 
source  that  it  was  forbidden  to  disclose.  In  two  years 
from  March,  1895  to  March,  1897,  1,375  were  killed  in 
battle,  765  died  of  wounds,  and  8,627  were  wounded, 
but  recovered.  Ten  per  cent,  of  the  killed  and  fatally 
wounded  were  officers,  and  5  per  cent,  of  the  wounded 
died  of  yellow  fever,  while  127  officers  and  about  40,- 
000  men  succumbed  to  other  maladies. 

Another  authority  gives  the  following  rates  of  losses: 
Out  of  every  thousand,  ten  were  killed,  sixty-six  died 
of  yellow  fever,  two  hundred  and  one   died  of  other  dis- 


126  the;  butchbr's  campaign. 

eases,  while  one  hundred  and  forty-three  were  sent 
home,  either  sick  or  wounded. 

Out  of  two  hundred  thousand  men  sent  to  Cuba  in 
two  years,  only  in  the  neighborhood  of  ninety-six  thou- 
sand, capable  of  bearing  arms,  were  left  the  first  of 
March,  1897. 

During  our  own  civil  war  one  and  sixty-five  one- 
hundredths  per  cent,  of  all  those  mustered  into  the 
United  States  service  were  killed  in  action  or  died  of 
their  wounds;  ten  per  cent,  were  wounded,  and  a  little 
less  than  two  per  cent,  died  of  wounds  and  from  un- 
known causes. 

That  we  lost  during  the  civil  war,  186,216  men  from 
disease  is  terrible  enough,  but  to  equal  the  percentage 
of  the  Spanish  losses  from  the  same  cause,  during  twice 
the  time  that  our  war  lasted,  would  bring  the  total  up 
to  a  million  and  a  half  of  men. 

From  the  very  beginning,  the  insurgents  held  posses- 
sion of  the  two  eastern  provinces,  Santiago  and  Puerto 
Principe.  It  was  only  by  unremitting  efforts  and  the 
loss  of  many  lives  that  the  Spaniards  retained  their  hold 
on  the  district  about  Bayamo. 

Late  in  1890  General  Calixto  Garcia,  now  second  in 
rank  to  Gomez,  and  playing  an  important  part  in  the 
aiding  of  the  American  troops,  landed  on  the  island 
with  strong  reinforcements.  Garcia,  who  was  also  a 
veteran  of  the  Ten  Years'  War  had  several  more  or  less 
important  engagements  with  the  Spanish,  in  almost  all 
of  which  he  was  victorious. 

Antonio  Maceo,  in   order   to    consult    with   Gomez, 


the;  butcher's  campaign.  127 

crossed  the  trocha  on  the  night  of  December  4,  1896. 
The  next  day,  at  the  head  of  five  hundred  men  and 
within  an  hour's  ride  of  Havana,  he  was  killed  in  a 
skirmish,  just  as  he  had  made  the  declaration  that  all 
was  going  well.  A  young  son  of  Gomez,  who  was  suffer- 
ing from  an  old  wound,  and  who  refused  to  leave  the 
ground  until  his  chief  was  carried  away,  was  also 
killed. 

There  is  not  the  shadow  of  a  doubt  but  that  this 
double  catastrophe  was  due  to  the  treachery  of  one  of 
Maceo's  companions,  a  certain  Dr.  Zertucha. 

One  of  Maceo's  aides  tells  the  story  as  follows:  "Fir- 
ing was  heard  near  Punta  Brava,  and  Zertucha,  who  had 
ridden  off  to  one  side  of  the  road,  came  galloping  back, 
crying:  "Come  with  me!  Come  with  me!  Quick! 
Quick!"  Maceo  at  once  put  spurs  to  his  horse,  and,  fol- 
lowed by  his  five  aids,  rode  swiftly  after  the  physician, 
who  plunged  into  the  thick  growth  on  the  side  of  the 
road. 

The  party  had  only  ridden  a  few  yards,  when 
Zertucha,  bent  low  in  his  saddle,  and  swerved  sharply  to 
one  side,  galloping  away  like  mad. 

Almost  at  the  same  moment,  a  volley  was  fired  by  a 
party  of  Spanish  soldiers  hidden  in  the  dense  under- 
brush, and  Maceo  and  four  of  his  men  dropped  out  of 
their  saddles,  mortally  wounded." 

The  single  survivor,  the  man  whose  words  are  quoted 
above,  contrived  to  get  back  to  his  own  party  and 
brought  them  to  the  scene  of  the  tragedy.  The  Span- 
iards   were    driven    away,    Maceo's    body    was    found 


128  the;  butcher's  campaign. 

stripped,  and  young  Gomez  had  been  stabbed,  and  his 
skull  was  broken. 

The  traitor  Zertucha  surrendered  to  the  Spanish  by 
whom  naturally  he  was  treated  with  the  utmost  kind- 
ness and  consideration. 

Afterwards  Zertucha  attempted  to  blacken  Maceo's 
memory  by  declaring  that  he  was  disheartened  and  des- 
perate, and  that  his  death  was  the  result  of  his  own 
folly. 

Senor  Palma  says  of  this: 

' '  General  Maceo  was  loved  and  supported  by  all  men 
struggling  for  Cuban  independence,  whether  in  a  mili- 
tary or  civil  capacity.  If  a  man  was  ever  idolized  by  his 
people,  that  man  was  General  Maceo.  Dr.  Zertucha 
knows  that,  but  perhaps  he  has  an  object  in  making  his 
false  assertions." 

An  object?  Of  course  he  had  an  object — the  currying 
of  favor  with  the  Spaniards,  the  saving  of  his  own 
wretched  carcass  sand  the  obtaining  of  the  blood-money 
due  him. 

So  perished  the  last  of  the  Maceos,  eight  brothers, 
all  having  died  before  him  in  the  cause  of  Cuban  liberty. 

The  following  poem  on  Maceo's  death  appeared  in  the 
New  York  Sun : 

Antonio  Maceo. 

"Stern  and  unyielding,  though  others  might  bow  to  the 

tempest ; 
Slain  by  the  serpent   who   cowered    in  hiding   behind 

thee ; 
Slumber  secure  where  the  hands  of  thy  comrades  have 

laid  thee ; 


TH^  butcher's  campaign.  129 

Dim  to  thine  ear  be  the  roar  of  the  battle  above  thee. 

Set  now  is  thy  sun,  going  down  in  darkness  and  men- 
ace, 

While  through  the  thick-gathering  clouds  one  red  ray 
of  vengeance 

Streams  up  to  heaven,  blood  red,  from  the  place  where 
thou  liest. 

Through  the  sword  of  Death's  angel  lies  cold  on  thy 
forehead. 

Still  to  the  hearts  of  mankind  speaks  the  voice  of  thy 
spirit: 

Still  does  thine  angry  shade  arrest  the  step  of  the 
tyrant.  "V.  B." 

Maceo's  death  was  a  terrible  blow  to  the  insurgents, 
but,  with  indomitable  spirit  they  rallied  and  plunged 
with  renewed  energy  into  the  fray. 

Maceo  was  succeeded  by  General  Rius  Rivera,  who 
does  not  seem  to  have  been  in  any  way  the  equal  of  his 
■oredecessor. 

Having  accomplished  by  low  treachery  what  he  had 
not  succeeded  in  doing  by  open,  honorable  warfare, 
Weyler  increased  his  efforts  to  put  down  the  rebellion  in 
Pinar  del  Rio,  where  Maceo  had  been  in  command. 

The  trochas  now  became  of  advantage,  and  Weyler 
succeeded  in  confining  Rivera's  scattered  bands  to  the 
province.  Early  in  1897,  Rivera  was  made  a  prisoner, 
and  since  then  nothing  of  importance,  from  a  military 
standpoint,  has  occurred  in  Pinar  del  Rio. 

In  1897  there  were  but  few  incidents  of  interest  in  the 
war.  The  Cubans  were  holding  back,  evading  conflicts 
wherever  they  could,  and  waiting  for  the  long-delayed 
interposition  of  the  United  States. 

Guines,  however,  was  taken  by    them,    and   General 


130  THE   butcher's   campaign. 

Garcia  captured  the  fortified  post  of  Tuuas  after  a  fight 
of  three  days.  The  Spanish  commander  and  about  forty 
per  cent,  of  his  force  were  killed.  Finally  the  remainder 
of  the  garrison  surrendered.  The  spoils  which  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  Cubans  comprised  a  large  amount  of 
rifles  and  ammunition,  besides  two  Krupp  guns. 

The  victory  was  a  notable  one,  especially  as  Weyler 
had  cabled  his  government  that  Tunas  was  impregnable. 
Its  fall  gave  rise  to  much  harsh  criticism  and  bitter 
feeling  in  Spain. 

Weyler  was  constantly  proclaiming  the  '  'pacification" 
of  certain  provinces,  statements  that  were  most  trans- 
parently absurd  and  false.  He  even  immediately  fol- 
lowed up  his  proclamations  by  the  most  severe  and 
brutal  measures  in  those  very  provinces. 

Finally  even  Madrid,  to  whom  it  would  have  mattered 
little  if  the  policy  had  proved  a  success,  became  con- 
vinced that  Weyler's  savage  procedure  was  a  failure. 

The  butcher  had  gained  absolutely  no  advantage,  but 
had  simply  been  the  cause  of  untold  and  undeserved 
suffering. 

The  insurrection,  taking  it  all  for  all,  was  just  as 
strong,  if  not  stronger,  than  it  was  the  day  Weyler  ar- 
rived in  Cuba. 

So,  in  October,  1897,  he  was  withdrawn  from  his  post, 
and  summoned  back  to  Spain. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  world  will  never  again  wit- 
ness such  a  shameful  and  shameless  exhibition  as  was 
his  administration. 

Before  dismissing  him  from   these  pages,   let  us  quote 


THE   butcher's   campaign,  I3I 

from  Stephen  Bonsai,  with  whose  words  no  unprejudiced 
person  can  quarrel. 

Mr.  Bonsai  says: 

"Should  they  be  wise,  and  they  will  have  a  moment 
of  clairvoyance  soon,  or  they  will  disappear  as  a  nation, 
the  Spaniards  should  seek  to  cast  a  mantle  of  oblivion 
and  forgetfulness  about  the  wretched  name  of  Weyler 
and  all  the  ignoble  deeds  that  have  characterized  his 
rule.  While  it  cannot  be  expected  that  the  bishop  will 
be  displaced  by  the  butcher,  there  is  one  whom  Weyler 
will  displace  upon  his  unenviable  pinnacle  of  prominence 
in  the  temple  of  infamy,  and  that  is  Alva.  His  name  is 
destined  to  become  in  every  tongue  that  is  spoken  by 
civilized  people  a  synonym  of  bloody,  relentless  and 
pitiless  war  waged  upon  American  soil,  upon  the  long- 
disused  methods  of  the  Vandals  and  the  Visigoths;  and 
Alva,  who  had  the  cruel  spirit  of  his  age  and  a  sincere 
fanaticism  as  his  excuse,  will  step  down  and  out  into  an 
oblivion  which  will  doubtless  be  grateful  to  his  shade, 
and  most  certainly  so  to  those  who  bear  his  execrated 
name. 

' '  I  could  ask  no  more  terrible  punishment  for  him 
(Weyler)  than  many  years  of  life  to  listen  to  the  voices 
of  despair  he  has  heard  ring  out  upon  his  path  through 
Cuba ;  to  hear  again  and  ever  the  accusing  voices  which 
no  human  power  can  hush,  and  to  review  the  scenes  of 
suffering  which  he  has  occasioned  which  no  human 
power  can  obliterate  from  his  memory." 


132  America's  charity  and  Spain's  diplomacy. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

AMKRICA  S   CHARITY   AND   SPAIN'S   DIPI^OMACY. 

The  new  governor-general  of  Cuba  was  Don  Ramon 
Blanco,  as  to  whose  character  accounts  differ.  It  is  prob- 
able that  while  he  is  not  the  high-minded,  honorable 
gentleman  that  Campos  was,  he  is  far,  very  far  from  be- 
ing such  an  unmitigated  beast  as  his  predecessor. 

Before  he  reached  Cuba,  which  was  the  last  of  Octo- 
ber, 1897,  he  stated  in  an  interview: 

"■My  policy  will  never  include  concentration.  I  fight 
the  enemy,  not  women  and  children.  One  of  the  first 
things  I  shall  do  will  be  to  allow  the  reconcentrados  to 
go  out  of  the  town  and  till  the  soil." 

This  sounds  very  just  and  right,  but,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  the  policy  enounced  was  never  carried  out,  not 
even  in  minor  particulars.  The  persecution  of  the 
pacificos  remained  as  bitter  and  relentless  as  ever. 

Perhaps  General  Blanco  is  not  entirely  to  blame  for 
this,  as  the  pressure  brought  to  bear  against  his  ex- 
pressed ideas  both  by  the  home  government  and  by  the 
"peninsulars"  in  Havana,  who  had  been  in  full  accord 
with  the  methods  of  the  ' '  Butcher, ' '  was  so  strong  as 
scarcely  to  be  resisted. 

Blanco  issued  an  amnesty  proclamation  soon  after  his 
arrival  in  Havana,  but  the  insurgents  paid   little  or  no 


AMIBRICA'S   CHARITY   AND   SPAIN'S  DIPLOMACY.    1 33 

attention.  Their  experience  in  such  matters  in  the  past 
had  been  too  stern  to  be  forgotten. 

In  the  field,  Blanco  was  also  most  unsuccessful,  gain- 
ing nothing  but  petty  victories  of  no  value  whatever. 
The  pay  of  the  Spanish  soldiers  was  terribly  in  arrears, 
and  their  rations  were  of  the  most  meagre  description. 
No  wonder  that  they  were  disheartened,  and  in  no  con- 
dition to  fight. 

In  a  word,  Blanco  absolutely  failed,  as  completely  as 
had  his  predecessors,  in  quelling  the  rebellion. 

The  people  of  the  United  States  were  becoming  more 
and  more  enraged  at  the  atrocities  committed  at  their 
very  door,  and  more  and  more  anxious  that  the  Cubans 
should  have  the  independence  which  they  themselves 
had  achieved. 

Moreover,  there  was  a  large  number  of  Americans  in 
the  island  who  were  made  to  suffer  from  the  policy  of 
reconceutration.  Citizens  of  the  United  States,  a  large 
number  of  them  being  naturalized  Americans,  were  con- 
stantly being  seized  and  imprisoned,  on  suspicion  alone, 
no  proof  whatever  being  advanced,  of  their  furnishing 
aid  and  comfort  to  the  insurgents.  They  were  placed  in 
filthy  cells,  no  communication  with  the  outside  world 
being  allowed  them.  This  is  what  the  Spaniards  term 
' '  incomunicado. ' ' 

No  writing  materials  were  allowed  them  and  nothing 
"vhatever  to  read.  The  windows  were  so  high  up  that 
no  view  was  to  be  obtained.  The  cells  were  damp  with 
the  moisture  of  years  and  had  rotten,  disease-breeding 
floors,  covered  with  filth  of    every   description.     More- 


134  America's  charity  and  Spain's  dipi^omacy, 

over,  they  were  overrun  with  cockroaches,  rats  and 
other  vermin. 

The  sustenance  furnished  the  prisoners  was  wretched, 
and  even  such  as  it  was,  it  was  not  given  to  them  regu- 
larly. More  often  than  not,  thej'  were  left  for  long  hours 
to  suffer  the  pangs  of  hunger  and  thirst. 

A  notable  instance  of  Americans  being  seized  and  im- 
prisoned in  these  loathsome  dungeons  is  the  following: 

A  little  schooner  called  the  "Competitor"  attempted 
to  land  a  filibustering  expedition.  She  was  captured, 
after  most  of  her  passengers  had  been  landed,  and  her 
crew,  numbering  five,  were  tried  by  a  court  which  had 
been  instructed  to  convict  them,  and  sentenced  to  death. 
They  would  undoubtedly  have  been  executed,  as  some 
years  before  had  been  the  prisoners  of  the  ill-fated  Vir- 
ginius,  had  it  not  been  for  the  prompt  intervention  of 
the  United  States,  spurred  thereto  by  General  Fitz 
Hugh  L,ee. 

The  conviction  was  growing  stronger  and  stronger  in 
the  United  States  that  something  should  be  done  to 
mitigate  the  terrible   suffering  in  Cuba. 

The  Red  Cross  Association,  a  splendid  charitable  or- 
ganization, at  the  head  of  which  was  Miss  Clara  Barton, 
undertook  this  noble  work  of  relief.  The  government 
of  the  United  States  lent  its  assistance  and  support. 
Large  sums  of  money  and  tons  of  supplies  of  food  were 
contributed  throughout  the  Union,  both  by  public  and 
private  donations.  The  newspapers  everywhere.  North, 
East,  South  and  West,  did  magnificent  service  in 
furthering  the  good  work. 


AMERICA'S   CHARITY  AND  SPAIN'S   DIPI^OMACY.     1 35 

Spaiu,  instead  of  showing  gratitude,  rather  resented 
tliis,  and  there  \^as  considerable  difhculty  to  prosecute 
the  labor  of  charit}^  Still,  the  efforts,  in  the  interests  of 
suffering  humanity  were  by  no  means  unavailing. 

President  McKinley  speaks  of  the  movement  as  fol- 
lows: 

"The  success  which  had  attended  the  limited  measure 
of  relief  extended  to  the  suffering  American  citizens  of 
Cuba,  by  the  judicious  expenditure  through  consular 
agencies,  of  money  appropriated  expressly  for  their  suc- 
cor by  the  joint  resolution  approved  May  24,  1897, 
prompted  the  humane  extension  of  a  similar  scheme  of 
aid  to  the  great  body  of  sufferers.  A  suggestion  to  this 
end  was  aquiesced  in  by  the  Spanish  authorities.  On 
the  twenty -fourth  of  December  last,  I  caused  to  be  is- 
sued an  appeal  to  the  American  people,  inviting  contri- 
butions, in  money  or  in  kind,  for  the  starving  sufferers 
in  Cuba,  following  this  on  the  eighth  of  January  by  a 
similar  public  announcement  of  the  formation  of  a  Cen- 
tral Cuban  Relief  Committee,  with  headquarters  in  New 
York  city,  composed  of  three  members  representing  the 
American  National  Red  Cross  Society,  and  the  religious 
and  business  elements  of  the  community.  The  efforts  of 
that  committee  have  been  untiring  and  have  accom- 
plished much.  Arrangements  for  free  tran.sportation  to 
Cuba  have  greatly  aided  the  charitable  work.  The  presi- 
dent of  the  American  Red  Cross  and  representatives  of 
other  contributory  organizations  have  generousl}^  visited 
Cuba  and  co-operated  with  the  consul-general  and  the 
local  authorities  to  make  effective   disposition  of  the  re- 


136   AMERICA'S   CHARITY  AND  SPAIN'S   DIPLOMACY. 

lief  collected  through  the  efforts  of  the  Central  Com- 
inittee.  Nearly  $200,000  in  money  and'supplies  has  al- 
ready reached  the  sufferers  and  more  is  forthcoming. 
The  supplies  are  admitted  duty  free,  and  transportation 
to  the  interior  has  been  arranged,  so  that  the  relief,  at 
first  necessarily  confined  to  Havana  and  the  larger 
cities,  is  now  extended  through  most  if  not  all  of  the 
towns  through  which  suffering  exists.  Thousands  of 
lives  have  already  been  saved.  The  necessity  for  a 
change  in  the  condition  of  the  reconcentrados  is  recog- 
nized in  the  Spanish  government." 

And  3'et  Spain  resented  these  charitable  efforts,  as  be- 
ing opposed  to  her  policy.  The  people  of  the  United 
States,  in  sending  this  money  and  these  supplies,  had 
nothing  else  in  view  but  charity,  a  longing  to  do  all 
that  they  could  to  relieve  the  anguish  of  an  oppressed 
and  tortured  people.  There  was  no  ulterior  motive 
whatever. 

A  large  amount  of  the  sums  contributed  was  diverted 
to  a  purpose  very  different  from  that  for  which  it  had 
been  intended. 

The  Spanish  government,  more  through  fear  of  the 
condemnation  of  the  other  European  nations  than  any- 
thing else,  voted  about  six  hundred  thousand  dollars  for 
the  relief  of  the  starving  reconcentradoes. 

But  this  was  a  ruse,  a  sum  chiefly  on  paper.  General 
Lee,  and  his  testimony  is  incontrovertible,  says: 

"  I  do  not  believe  six  hundred  thousand  dollars,  in 
supplies,  will  be  given  to  those  people,  and  the  soldiers 
left  to  starve.    They  will  divide  it  up  here  and  there;  a 


America's  charity  and  Spain's  diplomacYo  137 

piece  takeii  off  here  and  a  piece  taken  off  there.  I  do 
not  believe  they  have  appropriated  anything  of  the 
kind.  The  condition  of  the  reconcentrados  out  in  the 
country  is  just  as  bad  as  in  General  Weyler's  day.  It 
has  been  relieved  a  good  deal  by  supplies  from  the 
United  States,  but  that  has  ceased  now. 

"General  Blanco  published  a  proclamation,  rescind- 
ing General  Weyler's  bando,  as  they  call  it  there,  but  it 
has  had  no  practical  effect.  In  the  first  place,  these 
people  have  no  place  to  go ;  the  houses  have  been  burned 
down ;  there  is  nothing  but  the  bare  land  there,  and  it 
would  take  them  two  months  before  they  could  raise  the 
first  crop.  In  the  next  place,  they  are  afraid  to  go  out 
from  the  lines  of  the  towns,  because  the  roving  bands 
of  the  Spanish  guerillas,  as  they  are  called,  would  kill 
them.  So  they  stick  right  in  the  edges  of  the  town,  just 
like  they  did,  with  nothing  to  eat  except  what  they  can 
get  from  charity.     The  Spanish  have  nothing  to  give." 

The  government  and  people  of  Spain  now  became  very 
much  afraid  of  the  attitude  of  the  United  States.  They 
knew  that  something  had  to  be  done,  so  to  speak,  to 
throw  a  sop  to  Cerberus.  Therefore  Sagasta,  the 
premier  of  Spain,  conceived  the  idea  of  granting  to 
Cuba  a  species  of  autonomy.  But,  with  the  usual  Span- 
ish diplomacy,  it  was  not  autonomy  at  all.  It  purposed 
.  to  be  home  rule,  but  every  article  gave  a  loop-hole  for 
Spain  not  to  fulfill  her  obligations. 

It  was  a  false  and  absurd  proposition,  intended  to  de- 
ceive, but  too  flimsy  in  its  fabric  to  deceive  any  one.  It 
was  rotten  clean  through,  and  was  opposed  by   everyone 


138   AMERICA'S   CHARITY  AND   SPAIN'S   DIPLOMACY. 

except  the  framers  of  the  autonomistic  papers,  General 
Blanco,  his  staff  and  a  few  others,  who  hoped,  but 
hoped  in  vain,  great  things  from  the  proclamation. 

The  Cuban  leaders,  who  at  one  time  would  have 
hailed  with  joy  such  a  concession,  if  they  had  been  as- 
sured that  the  provisions  would  have  been  followed  out 
loyally  and  without  fraud,  now  rejected  the  autonomis- 
tic proposition  with  scorn  and  loathing. 

Their  battle  cry  was  now,  and  they  were  determined 
it  ever  should  be:   "Independence  or  death!" 

It  was  too  late.  There  was  no  possibility  now  of  home 
rule  under  Spanish  domination. 

Gomez  even  went  so  far  as  to  declare  that  any  one 
who  should  attempt  to  bring  to  his  camp  any  offer  of 
autonomy  would  be  seized  as  a  spy  and  shot. 

General  Lee,  speaking  of  the  proposed  autonomy, 
says: 

"Blanco's  autonomistic  government  was  doomed  to 
failure  from  its  inception.  The  Spanish  soldiers  and 
officers  scorned  it  because  they  did  not  desire  Cuban 
rule,  which  such  autonomy,  if  genuine,  would  insure. 
The  Spanish  merchants  and  citizens  were  opposed  to  it 
because  they  too  were  hostile  to  the  Cubans  having  con- 
trol of  the  island,  and,  if  the  question  could  be  nar- 
rowed down  to  Cuban  control  or  annexation  to  the 
United  States,  they  were  all  annexationists,  believing 
that  they  could  get  a  better  government,  and  one  that 
would  protect  in  a  greater  measure  life  and  property  un- 
der the  United  States  flag  than  under  the  Cuban  banner. 
On  the  other  hand,    the    Cubans    in    arms    would    not 


America's  charity  and  Spain's  diplomacy.  139 

touch  it,  because  they  were  fighting  for  free  Cuba.  Aud 
the  Cubau  citizens  and  sympathizers  were  opposed  to  it 
also." 

Seuor  Palma  sums  up  the  question  of  autonomy  as 
follows: 

"Autonomy  would  mean  that  the  Cuban  people  will 
make  their  own  laws,  appoint  all  their  public  officers, 
except  the  governor-general,  and  attend  to  the  local 
affairs  with  entire  independence,  without,  of  course, 
interference  by  the  metropolis.  What  then  would  be 
left  to  Spain,  since  between  her  aud  Cuba  there  is  no 
commercial  intercourse  of  any  kind?  Spain  is  not  and 
cannot  be,  a  market  for  Cuban  products,  and  is  more- 
over unable  to  provide  Cuba  with  the  articles  in  need 
by  the  latter.  The  natural  market  for  the  Cuban  pro- 
ducts is  the  United  States,  from  which  in  exchange 
Cuba  buys  with  great  advantage  flour,  provisions,  ma- 
chinery, etc.  What  then,  I  repeat,  is  left  to  Spain  but 
the  big  debt  incurred  by  her,  without  the  consent  and 
against  the  will  of  the  people  of  Cuba?  We  perfectly 
understand  the  autonomy  of  Canada  as  a  colony  of  Great 
Britain.  The  two  countries  are  closely  connected  with 
each  other  by  the  most  powerful  ties — the  mutual  in- 
terest of  a  reciprocal  commerce." 

Murat  Halstead,  who  is  invariably  logical  and  cor- 
rect, puts  the  whole  matter  in  a  few  trenchant  words: 

"There  is  nothing  to  regard  as  possible  in  any  of  the 
reforms  the  Spaniards  are  promising  with  much  anima- 
tion and  to  which  they  ascribe  the  greatest  excellence, 
to  take  place  after  the  insurgents  have  surrenderd   their 


140  AMERICA'S    CHARITY  AND   SPAIN'S    DIPI^OMACY. 

arms.  Spain  is,  as  always,  incapable  of  changing  hei 
fatal  colonial  policy,  that  never  has  been  or  can  be  re- 
formed. ' ' 

Spain's  fatal  colonial  policy.  Could  there  be  truer 
words  ? 

Let  us  pause  for  a  moment  to  contempliate  what  this 
fatal  colonial  policy  has  cost  her. 

At  one  time  she  swayed  the  destinies  of  Europe  and 
had  possessions  in  every  continent.  Samuel  Johnson, 
in  writing  of  her,  said : 

'  *  Are  there  no  regions  yet  unclaimed  by  Spain  ? 
Quick,  let  us  rise,  those  unhappy  lands  explore, 
And  bear  oppression's  insolence  no  more." 

The  whole  reason  of  Spain's  downfall  is  the  ruthless 
and  savage  character  of  the  Spanish  people. 

Due  to  her  oppression,  note  the  following  list  of 
colonies  which  she  has  lost: 

1609.  The  Netherlands. 

1628.   Malacca,  Ceylon,  Java  and  other  islands. 

1640.  Portugal. 

1648.  Spain  renounced  all  claim  to  Holland. 

1648.  Brabant  and  other  parts  of  Flanders. 

1649.  Maestricht,  Hetogenbosch,  Breda,  Bergen-of- 
Zoom,  and  many  other  fortresses  in  the  Low  Countries. 
In  this  year  also  she  practically  surrendered  supremacy 
on  the  seas  to  Northern  Europe. 

1659.  Rousillon  and  Cardague.  By  the  cession  of 
these  places  to  France,  the  boundary  line  between 
France  and  Spain  became  the  Pyrenees. 

1668.  Other  portions  of  Flanders. 


America's  charity  and  Spain's  diplomacy.   141 

1672.  Still  more  cities  and  towns  iu  Flanders 

1704.   Gibraltar. 

1704.   Majorca,  Minorca  and  Ivizza. 

1 79 1.  The  Nootka  Sound  settlements. 

1794.  St.  Domingo. 

1800.  Louisiana. 

1802.  Trinidad. 

18 1 9.  Florida. 

1 8 10-2 1.  Mexico,  Venezuela,  Colombia,  Ecuador, 
Peru,  Bolivia,  Chili,  Argentina,  Urugua)',  Paraguay, 
Patagonia,  Guatemala,  Honduras,  Nicaragua,  San  Sal- 
vador, Hayti  and  numerous  other  islands. 

Spain  has  now  not  a  foot  of  territory  on  the  Ameri- 
can continent,  and  very  shortly  she  will  not  have  a  foot 
anywhere  except  within  the  confines  of  her  own  home. 

To  return  again  to  the  proposed  autonomy  of  Cuba. 

At  the  time  it  was  oflfered  Gomez,  that  grand  old  man 
of  Cuba  said : 

"This  is  a  war  to  the  death  for  independence,  and 
nothing  but  independence  will  we  accept.  To  talk  of 
home  rule  is  to  idle  away  time.  But  I  have  hopes  that 
the  United  States,  sooner  or  later,  will  recognize  our 
belligerency.  It  is  a  question  of  mere  justice,  and,  in 
spite  of  all  arts  of  diplomacy,  justice  wins  in  the  long 
run.  The  day  we  are  recognized  as  belligerents,  I  can 
name  a  fixed  term  for  the  end  of  the  war. 

"With  regard  to  paying  an  indemnity  to  Spain,  that 
is  a  question  of  amount.  A  year  ago  we  could  pay  $100,- 
000,000,  and  I  was  ready  to  agree  to  that.  Now  that  Spain 
owes  more  than  $400,000,000,  we  will  not  pay  so  much." 


142    AMERICA'S    CHARITY   AND    SPAIN'S    DIPLOMACY. 

It  was  too  late  now  to  speak  of  reforms  or  of  home 
rule  in  any  shape.  The  Cubans  were  not  willing  to 
nurse  illusions.  They  were  resolved  on  absolute  freedom 
or  nothing. 

Any  form  of  Spanish  rule  would  mean  the  entire  sub- 
jection of  the  Cubans,  and,  had  they  accepted  the 
proposed  autonomy,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  the 
future  would  have  been  as  bad,  if  not  worse,  than  the 
past. 

Public  opinion  in  the  United  States  was  never  so 
deeply  aroused  as  it  was  now.  Citizens  in  all  ranks  of 
life  were  calling  loudly  for  interference,  which,  in  the 
name  of  civilization  and  humanity,  should  end  the 
horrible  state  of  affairs  in  Cuba. 

The  Un.  ted  States  was  Cuba's  natural  defender  and 
protector,  and  now,  both  press  and  public  declared,  was 
the  time  to  act. 

The  president  was  fully  aware  of  the  gravity  of  the 
situation,  but  with  rare  discretion,  for  which  future 
historians  will  give  him  due  credit,  he  bided  his  time, 
preferring,  if  possible,  peace  with  honor. 

In  his  first  message  relating  to  the  Cuban  situation, 
President  McKinley  said: 

"  If  it  shall  hereafter  appear  to  be  a  duty  imposed  by 
our  obligations  to  ourselves,  to  civilization  and  human- 
it}',  to  intervene  with  force,  it  shall  be  without  fault  on 
our  part,  and  only  because  the  necessity  of  such  action 
will  be  so  clear  as  to  command  the  support  and  approval 
of  the  civilized  world." 

General  Stewart  h.  Woodford,  our   minister  to  Spain, 


America's  charity  and  Spain's  diplomacy.  143 

behaved  with  the  utmost  courtesy  and  did  everything  in 
the  power  of  mortal  man  to  avoid  hostilities. 

One  cause  of  the  American  people's  irritability,  and 
in  all  justice  there  was  much  reason  for  it,  was  Spain's 
pretence  that  the  Cuban  war  had  been  prolonged  be- 
cause of  America's  inability  or  non  desire  to  maintain 
neutrality.  Nothing  could  be  falser  or  more  absurd,  for 
the  United  States  had  invariably,  whenever  possible, 
stopped  all  filibustering  expeditions  to  Cuba.  The 
records  will  bear  out  this  statement,  without  any  possi- 
bility of  refutation.  More  than  two  millions  of  dollars 
had  been  expended  by  the  United  States  in  Spain's  in- 
terest. Certainly,  gratitude  or  its  equivalent  is  a  word 
that  does  not  appear  in  the  Spanish  lexicon. 


144  '^^'^   LAST   DAYS   OF   PEACE). 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THK   IvAST   DAYS  OF   PKACE). 

Then  came  the  De  lyome  incident  which  served  to  in- 
flame further  passions  already  aroused. 

Senor  Enrique  Depuy  De  I^ome  was  the  Spanish  min- 
ister to  this  country. 

He  wrote  a  letter,  strongly  denunciatory  of  the  presi- 
dent's message,  and  of  the  president  himself;  with  the 
worst  taste  possible,  he  alluded  to  Mr.  McKinley  asa  low 
politician,  one  who  catered,  for  political  purposes,  to  the 
rabble. 

This  letter  was  intercepted  and  a  copy  given  to  the 
press.  The  original  was  sent  to  the  State  Department. 
Of  course  De  Lome  at  once  became  persona  non  grata, 
which  the  Spanish  government  recognized,  and  even  be- 
fore Minister  Woodford  could  make  a  "representation," 
De  lyome  was  recalled  from  his  position  and  Senor  Polo 
appointed  in  his  place. 

President  McKinley  showed  the  most  admirable  self- 
poise  through  all  this  affair,  evincing  outwardly  no  re- 
sentment for  what  was  a  personal  insult  to  himself. 

It  was  declared  that  we  ought  to  have  a  ship  of  war 
in  Havana  harbor  to  protect  American  citizens,  and  for 
that  purpose,  the  Maine  was  sent  there. 

It  was  the  visit  of  a  friendly  ship  to,  at  that  time,  a 
friendly  country. 


THE    I.AST   DAYS    OF    PKACK.  145 

The  Maine  was  received  by  the  Spanish  officials  with 
every  outward  show  of  respect,  the  firing  of  salutes  and 
the  raising  of  the  American  and  Spanish  flags  on  the 
vessels  of  different  nationalities. 

And  yet  what  was  the  result  ?  Once  more  came  an 
exhibition  of  Spain's  perfidy.  We  know  it  is  very  much 
like  the  Scotch  verdict  of  '  'non  proven,"  but  still  there 
is  no  doubt  among  fair-minded  men. 

A  tragedy  ensued,  a  tragedy  in  which  Spain  played 
the  part  of  the  villain,  and  such  an  unconscionable  vil- 
lain as  has  never  been  seen  upon  the  boards  of  any  stage. 

On  the  night  of  Tuesday,  February  19,  1898,  the 
United  States  battleship  Maine,  presumably  in  friendly 
waters,  was  lying  calmly  anchored  in  the  harbor  of  Ha- 
vana. Suddenly,  with  no  warning  whatever,  for  there 
was  no  suspicion  on  the  part  of  either  officers  or  men, 
the  magnificent  battleship  was  blown  up.  Two  officers 
and  two  hundred  and  sixty  of  the  crew  perished,  but 
their  names  and  memories  will  ever  be  cherished  affec- 
tionately and  gratefully  by  the  American  people. 

All  on  board  behaved  in  the  most  heroic  manner.  Cap- 
tain Charles  D.  Sigsbee,  the  commander  being  the  last 
to  leave  the  fated  ship.  The  famous  naval  historian, 
Captain  Mahan,  says: 

"The  self-control  shown  in  the  midst  of  a  sudden 
and  terrible  danger,  of  which  not  one  of  the  men  on 
board  knew,  showed  that  in  battle  with  known  dan- 
gers about  them,  and  expecting  every  minute  the  fate 
that  might  overtake  them,  the  fellow  sailors  of  the  men 
of  the  Maine  would  stand  to  their  guns   and    their   ship 


146  THE   LAST   DAYS   OF   PKACE). 

to  the  last.  It  was  evident  that  the  old  naval  spirit  ex- 
isted, and  that  the  sailors  of  the  new  navy  were  as  good 
as  those  who  manned  the  old-time  ships." 

The  Maine  was  one  of  the  very  best  vessels  in  the 
American  navy ;  with  her  stores  and  ammunition,  she 
represented  an  expenditure  of  close  upon  five  millions  of 
dollars. 

The  blowing  up  of  the  Maine  and  the  loss  of  our  brave 
men  aroused  the  most  intense  excitement  throughout 
the  United  States,  but  the  request  of  Captain  Sigsbee 
that  public  opinion  should  be  suspended  until  thor- 
ough investigation  had  been  made,  was  followed,  and 
the  people  behaved  with  admirable  and  remarkable  con- 
trol. 

A  naval  board  of  inquiry  was  at  once  organized  by 
the  United  States  government.  This  board  consisted  of 
experienced  officers,  who  were  greatl)''  assisted  in  their 
labors  by  a  strong  force  of  experts,  wreckers  and  divers. 

The  investigation  was  most  searching.  The  21st  of 
March,  1898,  the  board  presented  a  unanirnous  verdict. 
The  report  was  most  voluminous,  embracing  some 
twelve  thousand   pages. 

The  verdict  was  practically  that  "the  loss  of  t*he 
Maine  was  not  in  any  respect  due  to  fault  or  negligence 
on  the  part  of  any  of  the  officers  or  members  of  her  crew ; 
that  the  ship  was  destroyed  by  the  explosion  of  a  sub- 
marine mine,  which  caused  the  partial  explosion  of  two 
or  more  of  her  forward  magazines ;  and  that  no  evidence 
has  been  obtainable  fixing  the  responsibility  of  the  de- 
struction of  the  Maine  upon  any  person  or  persons. ' ' 


THEJ   LAST   DAYS   OF   PEACE.  147 

Although  it  was  not  possible  to  obtain  evidence  which 
should  convict  the  guilty  parties,  there  was  not  and 
never  has  been  the  faintest  doubt  in  the  mind  of  anj'- 
fair-minded  person  as  to  who  was  responsible  for  the 
tragedy.  When  Congress  afterward  spoke  of  the  crime 
or  the  criminal  negligence  of  the  Spanish  officials,  the 
words  found  an  ardent  response  in  the  heart  of  every 
true  American. 

There  is  no  doubt  but  that  the  destruction  of  the 
Maine  was  the  lever  that  started  the  machinery  of  war. 

lyike  "Remember  the  Alamo!"  "Remember  the 
Maine!"  is  a  clarion  cry  of  battle  that  will  go  echoing 
down  the  centuries. 

In  Cuba  we  were  most  fortunate  in  having  a  superb 
representative  in  the  person  of  General  Fitz  Hugh  Lee, 
a  man  of  rare  intellectual  ability,  ever  courteous  but 
ever  firm,  a  fine  specimen  of  Southern  chivalry. 

The  Spaniards,  as  was  but  natural,  hated  him,  but 
when  his  withdrawal  was  suggested  by  the  Spanish 
government  President  McKinley  cabled  to  Minister 
Woodford  at  Madrid  that  the  services  of  General  Lee  at 
Havana  were  indispensable  and  his  removal  could  not 
be  considered. 

The  relations  between  Spain  and  the  United  States 
became  every  day  more  and  more  strained.  Every  effort 
was  made  by  the  President  to  bring  about  a  peaceable 
solution  of  the  Cuban  question,  but  Spain,  stiff  necked 
and  suicidal,  refused  to  cooperate  with  him. 

On  April  II,  the  president  sent  his  famous  message 
to  Congress. 


148  THE   LAST   DAYS   OF   PEACE. 

In  it,  he  alluded  to  the  way  in  which  we  had  been 
forced  to  police  our  own  waters  and  watch  our  own 
seaports  in  prevention  of  any  unlawful  act  in  aid  of 
Cuba. 

He  spoke  of  how  our  trade  had  suffered,  how  the  capi- 
tal invested  by  our  citizens  in  Cuba  had  been  largely 
lost,  and  how  the  temperance  and  forbearance  of  our 
own  people  had  been  so  sorely  tried  as  to  beget  a  peril- 
ous unrest  among  our  own  citizens. 

The  President,  also,  made  some  strong  arguments 
against  both  belligerency  and  recpgnition,  especially 
against  the  latter. 

He  quoted  Jackson's  argument,  on  the  subject  of  the 
recognition  of  Texas,  concluding  as  follows : 

' '  Prudence,  therefore,  seems  to  dictate  that  we  should 
stand  aloof,  and  maintain  our  present  attitude,  if  not 
until  Mexico  itself  or  one  of  the  great  foreign  powers 
shall  recognize  the  independence  of  the  new  govern- 
ment ;  at  least  until  the  lapse  of  time  or  the  course  of 
events  should  have  proved  beyond  cavil  or  dispute  the 
ability  of  the  people  of  that  country  to  maintain  their 
separate  sovereignty  and  to  uphold  the  government  con- 
stituted by  them.  Neither  of  the  contending  parties  can 
justly  complain  of  this  course.  By  pursuing  it  we  are 
but  carrying  out  the  long  established  policy  of  our  gov- 
ernment, a  policy  which  has  secured  us  respect  and  in- 
fluence abroad  and  inspired  confidence  at  home." 

It  is  necessary  to  quote  still  further  from  President 
McKinley's  message,  a  message  so  fine,  so  just  and  so 
true,  that  we  are  sure    it    will    go    down    into   history 


the;  last  days  of  pkace.  149 

praised  by  all  future  historians,  as  it  well  deserves  to  be. 

He  says: 

"The  spirit  of  all  our  acts  hitherto  has  been  an  ear- 
nest, unselfish  desire  for  peace  and  prosperity  in  Cuba, 
untarnished  by  differences  between  us  and  Spain,  and 
unstained  by  the  blood  of  American  citizens. 

"The  forcible  intervention  of  the  United  States  as  a 
neutral  to  stop  the  war,  according  to  the  large  dictates 
of  humanity  and  following  many  historical  precedents 
where  neighboring  states  have  interfered  to  check  the 
hopeless  sacrifice  of  life  by  internecine  conflicts  beyond 
their  borders,  is  justifiable  on  rational  grounds.  It  in- 
volves, however,  hostile  constraint  upon  both  parties  to 
the  contest,  as  well  as  to  enforce  a  truce  as  to  guide  the 
eventual  settlement.  The  grounds  for  such  interven- 
tion may  be  briefly  summarized  as  follows: 

"  I.  In  the  cause  of  humanity  and  to  put  an  end  to 
the  barbarities,  bloodshed,  starvation  and  horrible  mis- 
eries now  existing  there,  and  which  the  parties  to  the 
conflict  are  either  unable  or  unwilling  to  stop  or  miti- 
gate. It  is  no  answer  to  say  that  this  is  all  in  another 
country,  belonging  to  another  nation,  and  is,  therefore, 
none  of  our  business.  It  is  specially  our  duty,  for  it  is 
right  at  our  doors. 

"2.  We  owe  to  our  citizens  in  Cuba  to  aff"ord  them 
that  protection  and  indemnity  for  life  and  property 
which  no  government  there  can  or  will  afford,  and  to 
that  end  to  terminate  the  conditions  that  deprive  them 
of  local  protection. 

"3.  The  right  to  intervene  may   be  justified   by    the 


150  th:^  last  days  op  peack. 

very  serious  injury  to  the  commerce,  trade  and  business 
interest  of  our  people,  and  by  the  wanton  destruction  of 
property  and  devastation  of  the  island. 

"4.  And,  what  is  of  the  utmost  importance,  the  pres- 
ent condition  of  affairs  in  Cuba  is  a  constant  menace  to 
our  peace  and  entails  upon  this  government  an  enormous 
expense.  With  such  a  conflict  waged  for  years  in  an 
island  so  near  us,  and  with  which  our  people  have  such 
trade  and  business  relations — when  the  lives  and  liberty 
of  our  citizens  are  in  constant  dread,  and  their  property 
destroyed  and  themselves  ruined — where  our  trading- 
vessels  are  liable  to  seizure  and  are  seized  at  our  very 
door,  by  warships  of  a  foreign  nation,  the  expeditions 
of  filibustering  that  we  are  powerless  to  prevent  alto- 
gether, and  the  irritating  questions  and  entanglements 
thus  arising — all  these  and  others  that  I  need  not  men- 
tion, with  the  resulting  strained  relations,  are  a  constant 
menace  to  our  peace,  and  compel  us  to  keep  on  a  semi- 
war  footing  with  a  nation  with  which  we  are  at 
peace."  ' 

In  his  message,  the  President  also  gives  utterance  to 
these  notable  and  memorable  words: 

"The  long  trial  has  proved  that  the  object  for  which 
Spain  wages  war  cannot  be  attained. 

"The  fire  of  insurrection  may  flame  or  may  smoulder 
with  varying  seasons,  but  it  has  not  been,  and  it  is  plain 
that  it  cannot  be,  extinguished  by  present  methods. 
The  onh'  hope  of  relief  and  repose  from  a  condition 
which  cannot  longer  be  endured  is  the  enforced  pacifica- 
tion of  Cuba. 


THE   LAST   DAYS   OF   PEACE.  15I 

"In  the  name  of  hiimanit}',  in  the  name  of  civiliza- 
tion, in  behalf  of  endangered  American  interests,  which 
give  us  the  right  and  the  duty  to  speak  and  to  act,  the 
war  in  Cuba  must  stop. ' ' 

The  President  then  refers  the  whole  matter  to  Con- 
gress to  decide  as  that  body  may  think  best. 

A  somewhat  acrimonious  debate,  of  several  days  dur- 
ation followed,  chiefly  over  the  side  issue  of  the  recog- 
nition of  the  Republic  of  Cuba. 

On  April  19,  1898,  by  the  way,  the  date  of  the  first 
battle  of  the  Revolution  at  Concord,  Massachusetts,  the 
following  joint  resolution  was  agreed  upon. 

"Joint  resolution  for  the  recognition  of  the  independ- 
ence of  the  people  of  Cuba,  demanding  that  the  govern- 
ment of  Spain  relinquish  its  authority  and  government 
in  the  Island  of  Cuba,  and  withdraw  its  land  and  naval 
forces  from  Cuba  and  Cuban  waters,  and  directing  the 
President  of  the  United  States  to  use  the  land  and  naval 
forces  of  the  United  States  to  carry  these  resolutions 
into  effect. 

"Whereas,  the  abhorrent  conditions  which  have  ex- 
isted for  more  than  three  years  in  the  Island  of  Cuba, 
so  near  our  own  borders,  have  shocked  the  moral  sense 
of  the  people  of  the  United  States,  have  been  a  disgrace 
to  Christian  civilization,  culminating,  as  they  have,  in 
the  destruction  of  a  United  States  battleship,  with  two 
hundred  and  sixty-six  of  its  officers  and  crew,  while  on 
a  friendly  visit  in  the  harbor  of  Havana,  and  cannot 
longer  be  endured,  as  has  been  set  forth  b}^  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  in  his  message  to  Congress  of 


152  THB   LAST   DAYS   OF   PEACE). 

April  II,  189S,  upon  which  the  action  of  Congress  was 
invited;  therefore, 

'  *  Resolved,  By  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives 
of  the  United  States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled, 

"  I.  That  the  people  of  the  Island  of  Cuba  are,  and  of 
right  ought  to  be,  free  and  independent. 

"2.  That  it  is  the  duty  of  the  United  States  to  de- 
mand, and  the  Government  of  the  United  States  does 
hereby  demand,  that  the  Government  of  Spain  at  once 
relinquish  its  authority  and  government  in  the  Island 
of  Cuba  and  withdraw  its  land  and  naval  forces  from 
Cuba  and  Cuban  waters. 

"3.  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be,  and 
he  hereby  is,  directed  and  empowered  to  use  the  entire 
land  and  naval  forces  of  the  United  States,  and  to  call 
into  the  actual  service  of  the  United  States  the  militia 
of  the  several  States  to  such  extent  as  may  be  necessary 
to  carry  these  resolutions  into  effect. 

' '  4.  That  the  United  States  hereby  disclaims  any  dis- 
position or  intention  to  exercise  sovereigntj^  jurisdic- 
tion or  control  over  said  island  except  for  the  pacification 
thereof,  and  asserts  its  determination,  when  that  is  ac- 
complished, to  leave  the  government  and  control  of  the 
island  to  its  people." 

The  President  set  his  seal  of  approval  upon  these  reso- 
lutions the  following  day,  and  the  same  day  an  ultima- 
tum was  sent  to  Spain,  practically  the  same  as  what  has 

been  quoted  above. 

It  was  also   stated  that   it  was  the  President's  duty  to 

request  an  answer  within  forty-eight  hours. 


THE   LAST   DAYS   OP   PEACE.  153 

Within  forty-eight  hours  the  ultimatum  was  rejected 
by  the  Spanish  Cortes. 

The  ministers  and  representatives  of  the  two  coun- 
tries were  immediately  recalled  from  their  various  posts, 
and  a  state  of  warfare  proclaimed. 

The  United  States  now  stood  pledged  to  aid  and  suc- 
cor agonized  Cuba,  to  strike  the  shackles  from  off  her 
bruised  and  bleeding  limbs,  and  raise  her  to  a  position 
which  her  valor  had  long  deserved,  amongst  the  free 
and  independent  nations  of  the  world. 


154     '^HK   TOPOGRAPHY  AND   RKSOURCES   OF   CUBA. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

THE  TOPOGRAPHY  AND  RESOURCES  OP  CUBA. 

Cuba  lies  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  torrid  zone, 
and  immediately  south  of  Florida.  From  Key  West  to 
the  nearest  point  on  the  Cuban  coast,  the  distance  in  86 
miles. 

The  form  of  Cuba  is  an  irregular  crescent,  with  a 
large  number  of  bays  or  indentations.  The  coast  line  is 
about  2,200  miles,  exclusive  of  the  indentations;  or,  if 
we  include  the  latter,  nearly  7,000  miles. 

The  island  is  about  760  miles  long.  Its  breadth  varies 
from  127  miles  at  a  point  some  fifty  miles  west  of  San- 
tiago to  28  miles  from  Havana  to  the  south. 

Its  area  is  43,314  square  miles,  which  includes  the 
Isle  of  Pines  and  several  smaller  islands. 

Cuba  is  intersected  by  a  range  of  mountains,  more  or 
less  broken,  which  extends  across  the  entire  island, 
from  east  to  west,  and  from  which  the  rivers  flow  to  the 
sea.  This  range  is  called  the  Sierra  del  Cobra,  and  it 
includes  the  Pico  de  Torginno,  with  an  altitude  of  7,670 
feet,  the  highest  point  on  the  whole  island.  There  are 
other  ranges,  and  the  eastern  portion  of  the  island  is 
particularly  hilly.  We  must  not  forget  the  famous  Pan 
of  Matanzas  which  received  its  name  from  its  resem- 
blance to  a  loaf  of  sugar.  It  is  1,300  feet  high,  and  has 
been  of  great  service  to  mariners  in  enabling  them  to 
get  their  bearings. 


Th:b  topography  and  resources  of  CUBA.    155 

Naturally  tlie  rivers  are  small,  but  they  are  numer- 
ous. The  principal  one,  and  the  only  one  that  can 
properly  be  called  navigable,  is  the  Canto.  Schooners 
ascend  this  for  about  sixt)'  miles.  It  rises  in  the  Sierra 
del  Cobre,  and  empties  upon  the  south  coast,  a  few  miles 
from  Manzanillo.  Mineral  springs  abound,  and  their 
medicinal  qualities  are  in  high  repute. 

Of  lakes  there  are  only  a  few,  and  most  of  these  lie  in 
the  marsh  lands. 

The  Scientific  American  saN's: 

"The  country  may  be  broadly  divided  into  the  region 
of  the  plains  the  rolling  uplands  and  the  forest  lands. 
The  lowlands  form  a  practically  continuous  belt  around 
the  island,  and  in  them  are  to  be  found  the  great  sugar 
plantations.  Above  these  and  on  the  lower  slopes  are 
found  the  grazing  and  farm  lands,  upon,  which,  among 
other  things,  is  raised  the  famous  Havana  tobacco.  The 
remainder  of  the  island,  especially  the  eastern  portion 
is  covered  with  a  dense  forest  growth." 

The  vegetation  of  Cuba  is  of  the  most  luxuriant  and 
beautiful  description.  The  forests  are  full  of  a  large 
varietv  of  trees,  almost  all  of  them  most  valuable  for 
mechanical  purposes.  Some  of  them  are  almost  as  hard 
as  iron.  One  of  these  is  called  the  quiebra  hacha  (the 
axe  breaker).  There  are  other  woods  such  as  the  jucaro, 
which  are  indestructible,  even  under  water.  Still  others 
are  lignum  vitae,  ebony,  rosewood,  mahogany,  cedar, 
lancewood  and  many  other  species.  There  are  over  fifty 
varieties  of  palm,  and  the  orange  and  lemon  trees  are 
indigenous.     Although  the  forests  are  so    dense  so  to  be 


156     THK  TOPOGRAPHY   AND   RESOURCEJS   OF  CUBA. 

almost  impenetrable,  there  are  no  wild  animals  in  them 
larger  than  the  wild  dogs,  which  closely  resemble 
wolves  both  in  appearance  and  habits. 

The  fruits  are  those  natural  to  the  tropics,  but  only 
oranges,  pineapples  and  bananas  are  raised  for  exporta- 
tion. 

The  land  is  not  suited  to  the  cultivation  of  cereals, 
and  there  is  no  flour  mill  on  the  island.  At  one  time, 
the  coffee  plantations  were  in  a  flourishing  condition, 
but  the  recent  outbreak  has  largely  interfered  with  this 
industry. 

By  far  the  chief  industries  in  the  island  are  the  culti- 
vation of  sugar  and  tobacco,  both  of  which  are  famous 
the  world  over. 

The  soil  of  Cuba  is  simply  a  marvel  of  richness,  prac- 
tically unrivalled  in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  Ex- 
cept occasionally  in  the  case  of  tobacco,  fertilizers  are 
not  used.  Crops  have  been  grown  on  the  same  ground 
without  an  atom  of  fertilization  for  over  a  hundred  years. 
This  superb  soil  gives  the  Cuban  sugar  planter  an 
enormous  advantage  over  his  competitors  in  other  coun- 
tries. For  instance,  in  Jamaica,  one  to  two  hogsheads  of 
sugar  is  considered  a  good  yield,  but  in  Cuba,  three 
hogsheads  are  the  average. 

The  introduction  of  modern  machinery,  which  is 
very  expensive,  has  done  much  to  drive  out  the  small 
planters,  and  the  tax  imposed  by  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment almost  trebled  the  cost  to  the  planter. 

In  times  of  peace,  the  sugar  production  of  Cuba  aver- 
aged a  million  of  tons  a  year,  but  this  is  nothing  like 


THE   TOPOGRAPHY    AND    RESOURCES    OF    CUBA,      1 57 

what  the  island  might  be  made  to  yield  under  a  decent 
government  and  proper  enterprise.  It  has  been  esti- 
mated that  if  all  the  land  suitable  to  the  growth  of 
sugar  cane  were  devoted  to  that  industry,  Cuba  might 
supply  the  entire  western  hemisphere  w'ith  sugar. 

Mr,  Gollan,  the  British  consul  general,  says: 

"Until  a  very  recent  date  the  manufacture  of  sugar 
and  the  growing  of  the  cane  in  Cuba  were  extremel)' 
profitable  undertakings,  and  the  reasons  for  their  pros- 
perity may  be  stated  as: 

"i.  The  excellence  of  the  climate  and  the  fertility  of 
the  soil,  which  allow  of  large  crops  of  good  cane.  The 
rainfall,  about  50  inches,  is  so  distributed  that  irriga- 
tion is  not  a  necessity,  though  it  would  in  many  cases 
be  advisable. 

"2.  The  great  movement  toward  the  centralization  of 
the  estates  which  took  place  in  the  early  eighties, 
planters  having  understood  the  value  of  large  sugar 
houses  and  overcome  their  difficulty  in  this  way, 

"3.  The  proximity  of  the  United  States,  affording, 
as  it  does,  a  cash  market  for  the  sugar." 

To  show  how  the  sugar  trade  has  been  injured  by  the 

Cuban  uprising,  the  following  figures  are  of  interest: 

Description.  Tons  in  1895,     Tons  in  1896. 

Exports         .         .         .  832,431  235,628 

Stocks       ....        135,181  36,260 


967,612  271,888 

Local  consumption  50,000  40,000 

1,017,612  311,888 


158     THK  TOPOGRAPHY   AND   RESOURCES   OF   CUBA. 

Stock  on  January  i 

(previous  crop)         .  13,348  86,667 


Total  production         .        1,004,264  225,221 

Tlie  decrease  in  1895-96  was  779,043  tons,  equivalent 
to  77.574  per  cent. 

While  the  tobacco  crop  of  some  portions  of  Cuba  is 
unsurpassed,  notably  that  of  Vuelta  Alajo  and  of 
Mayari,  it  is  of  excellent  quality  all  over  the  island,  the 
poorest  of  it  being  quite  as  good  as  that  of  Hayti.  The 
entire  crop  is  estimated  at  $10,000,000  annually.  Yet, 
owing  to  the  extortions  of  the  government,  which  loaded 
it  with  restrictions  and  exactions  of  every  description, 
the  tobacco  industry  has  always  been  an  uncertain  one. 
It  is  said  that  the  tobacco  growers,  disgusted  with  their 
treatment,  have  always  been  in  favor  of  the  revolution- 
ists. 

The  mineral  riches  of  the  island  have  never  been  ex- 
ploited to  any  considerable  extent  and  yet  it  is  known 
that  they  are  by  no  means  unimportant.  Gold  and  silver 
exist.  Some  specimens  of  the  finest  gold  have  been  ob- 
tained, but  at  an  expense  of  time  and  labor  that  could 
not  remunerate  the  parties  engaged  in  the  enterprise. 
There  are  copper  mines  near  Santiago  of  large  extent 
and  very  rich  in  ore.  There  are  also  several  iron  mines. 
Numerous  deposits  of  manganese  have  been  found  in 
the  Sierra  Maestra  range.  As  nearly  all  the  manganese 
used  in  the  United  States  comes  from  the  Black  Sea,  it 
is  thought  that  these  mines  will  prove  very  valuable, 
when  the  conditions  for  operating  them  are  more  favor- 


THE  TOPOGRAPHY   AND   RKSOURCES   OF  CUBA.      I59 

able.  Bituminous  coal  is  very  abundant.  Marble,  jasper 
and  slate  are  also  to  be  found  in  many  parts  of  the 
island. 

The  trade  of  the  United  States  with  Cuba  since  1891 
is  given  as  follows  bv  the  bureau  of  statistics,  Treasury 
Department : 

Imports.  Exports. 

1891         ....      $61,714,395         $12,224,888 

1892    .        .        c        .  77.931.671  17,953,570 

1893  ....      78,706,506        24,157,698 

1894  ....         75,678,261         20,125,321 

1895  ....       52,871,259        12,807,661 

1896  ....         40,017,730  7,530,880 

1897  ....       18,406,815  8,259,776 

The  commerce  of  Spain  with  Cuba  since  1891,  the 
figures  up  to  1895  being  taken  from  a  compilation  by 
the  department  of  agriculture,  and  those  for  1896  from 
a  British  foreign  office  report  was : 

Imports  from         Exports  to 
Cuba.  Cuba. 

1891  ....        $7,193,173         $22,168,050 

1892  ....  9,570,399  28,046,636 

1893  ,         .         .         .  5,697,291  24,689,373 

1894  ....  7,265,120  22,592,943 

1895  ....  7,176,105  26,298,497 

1896  ....  4,257,360  26,145,800 
The  railways    are    insufficient  and    wretchedly    man- 
aged, while  the  roads   are    in    a    deplorable   condition, 
sometimes,  in  wet  weather,  being  almost  impassible. 

In  regard  to    the    future    commercial    prosperity    of 


i6o    The;  topography  and  rksources  of  cuba. 

Cuba,  Mr.  Hyatt,  who  until  recently  was  our  consul  at 
Santiago,  gives  the  following  opinion: 

' '  Railroads  and  other  highways,  improved  machin- 
ery and  more  modern  methods  of  doing  business  are 
among  the  wants  of  Cuba ;  and  with  the  onward  march 
of  civilization  these  will  doubtless  be  hers  in  the  near 
future.  Cuba,  like  other  tropical  and  semi-tropical  coun- 
tries, is  not  given  to  manufacturing;  her  people  would 
rather  sell  the  products  of  the  soil  and  mines  and  buy 
manufactured  goods.  The  possibilities  of  the  island  are 
great,  while  the  probabilities  remain  an  unsolved  prob- 
lem." 

When  the  tropical  position  of  Cuba  is  taken  into  con- 
sideration, it  may  be  stated  that  its  climate  is  generally 
mild.  In  fact,  we  can  say  that  it  is  one  of  the  best,  if 
not  the  very  best,  of  the  countries  lying  within  the 
tropics;  and,  during  the  dry  season,  it  is  unsurpassable 
anywhere.  In  this  season,  the  days  are  delightful,  and 
the  nights,  with  the  clear,  transparent  air,  and  the  sky 
spangled  with  myriads  of  stars  (many  of  which,  not- 
ably the  constellation  known  as  "The  Southern  Cross," 
are  not  visible  in  more  northern  countries),  are  veritable 
dreams  of  beauty. 

The  heat  and  cold  are  never  extreme,  and  there  is 
only  a  slight  difference  in  the  temperature  all  the  year 
round.  The  warmest  month  at  Havana  is  July,  with  an 
average  temperature  of  82  degrees  Fahrenheit,  and  the 
coldest  is  January,  with  an  average  temperature  of  70 
degrees. 

The  rainy  season  lasts  from  the  first  of   May   till  the 


THE   TOPOGRAPHY   AND    RKSOURCES    OF    CUBA.      l6l 

first  of  October.  The  popular  impression  is  that  it  rains 
pretty  nearly  all  the  time  during  this  season,  but  this  is 
a  mistake.  On  an  average  there  are  not  more  than  ten 
rainy  days  a  month,  and  the  rain  generally  comes  in  the 
ufternoon.  The  temperature  of  Havana  in  the  summer 
is  but  little  higher  than  that  of  New  Orleans,  while  its 
rainfall  is  infinitely  less.  Yellow  fever  exists  in  the 
coast  cities  all  the  year  round,  but  it  rarely  makes  its 
appearance  in  the  interior.  The  western  part  of  the  isl- 
and is  as  habitable  as  is  Ohio. 

It  is  certain  that  the  effects  of  the  climate  upon  the 
Spanish  soldiers  has  been  disastrous,  but  much  of  the 
mortality  among  them  have  been  due  not  to  the  climate 
alone,  but  to  a  bad  system  of  hygiene,  wretched  diet, 
unsuitaljle  clothing  and  a  criminal  disregard  on  the 
part  of  the  military  authorities  of  the  health  of  the  men 
under  their  control. 

The  Medical  Record,  in  an  article  on  the  subject, 
says : 

"There  is  no  evading  the  fact,  however,  that  the 
landing  of  a  large  body  of  more  or  less  raw,  unaccli- 
matized  men  in  the  lowlands  of  a  reputed  unhealthy 
coast  at  the  beginning  of  the  rainy  season  is  an  experi- 
ment that  must  from  the  very  nature  of  things  be  at- 
tended with  much  risk." 

But  the  danger  to  our  own  soldiers  must  also  from  the 
very  nature  of  things,  be  much  less  than  it  has  proved 
to  the  Spaniards.  Our  army  is  composed  of  a  much 
higher  class  of  men  intellectually,  and  besides  that, 
they  will  be  infinitely  better  taken  care  of. 


1 52  THE  TOPOGRAPHY  AND  RESOURCES  OF  CUBA. 


The  next  point  to  be  considered  is  the  population  of 
Cuba.  There  has  been  no  official  census  taken  since 
18^7.  Then  the  entire  population  was  estimated  at 
1,631,687.  Of  these  about  one-fifth  were  natives  of 
Spain,  10,500  were  whites  of  foreign  blood,  485,187 
were  free  negroes,  about  50,000  were  Chinese  and  the 
rest  native  Cubans. 

It  may  be  interesting  to  note  the  percentage  of  whites 
and  blacks,  and  to  see  how  the  negro  element  has  been 
decreasing  both  relatively  and  absolutely  during  late 
years.  At  the  present  time  the  negroes  are  in  all  proba- 
bility not  more  than  one-fourth  of  the  entire  population. 

Per 
Year.  White. 

1804         .         .         .        ,         234,000 
1819     .         ,         ,         ,  239,830 

1830         ....         332,352 
1841     ....  418,291 

1850         ....        479,490 
i860     ....  632,797 

1869         ....        797,596 

1877     ....  985,325 

1887         ....     1,102,689 

The  island  is  divided  into  six  political  divisions,  each 
province  taking  the  name  of  its  capital  city:  Havana, 
Matanzas,  Santa  Clara,  Puerto  Principe,  Santiago  de 
Cuba  and  Pinar  del  Rio. 

The  figures  in  the  following  table  give  the  popula- 
tion by  provinces,  as  well  as  the  density  of  population 
(number  of  inhabitants  per   square  kilometer.) 


Negro. 

Cent. 

198,000 

45-8 

213,203 

47- 

423,343 

56. 

589,333 

58.4 

494.252 

50.75 

566,632 

47- 

602,215 

43. 

492,249 

33- 

485,188 

30.55 

THS  TOPOGRAPHY   AND    RKSOURCES  OP  CUBA.      1 63 

Square 

Provinces.                     Inhabitants.  Kilometers.  Density. 

Pinar  del  Rio         .          225,891             14,967  15-09 

Habana     .         ,         .      451,928              8,610  52.49 

Matanzas         .         .         259,578              8,486  30.59 

Santa  Clara          .            354, 122            23,083  15.34 

Puerto  Principe         .        67,789            32,341  2.10 

Santiago  de  Cuba            272,379            35,119  7.76 


Totals         .         .       1,631,687  122,606  13.31 

In  Cuba,  under  Spanish  rule,  the  Roman  Catholic  is 
the  only  religion  tolerated  by  the  government.  There 
are  no  Protestant  or  Jewish  places  of  worship.  A  decree 
promulgated  in  Madrid  in  1892  declares  that,  while  a 
person  who  should  comply  with  all  other  requirements 
might  be  permitted  to  remain  on  the  island,  he  would 
not  be  allowed  to  advance  doctrines  at  variance  with 
those  of  the  established  church.  As  Catholicism  is  a 
state  religion,  its  maintenance  is  charged  to  the  revenues 
of  the  island,  and  amounts  to  something  like  $400,000  a 
3^ear. 

Education  in  Cuba  is,  or  has  been,  at  a  very  low  ebb. 
That  is  due,  as  many  other  things  are,  to  the  wretched, 
short-sighted  policy  of  Spain,  the  country  which  has 
never  completely  emerged  from  the  darkness  of  barbar- 
ism. She  was  afraid  to  give  education  to  the  Cubans, 
thinking  that  she  could  better  dominate  them  in  their 
ignorance.  There  is  a  royal  university  in  Havana,  and  a 
collegiate  institute  in  each  of  the  six  provinces,  the 
number  of  students  in  all    amounting    to    nearly    three 


164     THK   TOPOGRAPHY    AND    RESOURCKS    OF    CUBA, 

thousand,  but  these  come  almost  without  exception 
from  the  ranks  of  the  well-to-do. 

Ivcss  than  one  out  of  every  forty-five  of  the  children 
in  Cuba  attend  the  public  schools.  There  was  a  farcical 
law  passed  in  1880,  making  education  compulsory. 
How  could  such  a  law  be  of  any  effect  when  there  was 
neither  the  ability  nor  the  desire  to  provide  school- 
houses  and  instructors?  Now  let  us  take  a  brief  glance 
at  some  of  the  chief  cities  of  Cuba. 

Havana,  the  principal  and  capital  city  of  the  island, 
is  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  bay  of  Havana,  on  a 
peninsula  of  level  land  of  limestone  formation. 

It  is  the  seat  of  the  general  government  and  captain- 
generalcy,  superior  court  of  Havana  (audencia,)  general 
direction  of  finance,  naval  station,  arsenal,  observatory, 
diocese  of  the  bishopric  and  the  residence  of  all  the  ad- 
ministrative officers  of  the  island  (civil,  military,  mari- 
time, judicial  and  economic). 

Its  strategic  position  at  the  mouth  of  the  Gulf  of 
Mexico  has  aptly  given  to  the  city  the  name  of  the  Key 
of  the  Gulf;  and  a  symbolic  key  is  emblazoned  in  its 
coat-of-arms.  The  harbor,  the  entrance  to  which  is  nar- 
row, is  wide  and  deep,  and  a  thousand  ships  could 
easily  ride  there  at  anchor. 

It  has  alwaj's  been  supposed  to  be  strongly  fortified, 
its  chief  defences  being  Morro  Castle,  the  Cabana,  the 
Castillo  del  Principe,  Fort  Atares,  the  Punta  and  the 
Reina  Batterj-. 

The  population  of  Havana,  from  the  last  official  esti- 
mate, is  about  220,000. 


THE  TOPOGRAPHY  AND  RESOURCES  OF  CUBA.   1 65 

Before  the  present  war,  Havana  was  one  of  the  most 
charming  places  in  the  world  for  the  tourist  to  visit, 
more  especially  during  the  winter  months. 

There  is  scarcel}^  a  city  in  Europe  which,  to  the 
American  seemed  so  foreign  as  Havana.  The  whole  ap- 
pearance of  the  place,  its  manners  and  customs,  were  all 
totally  different  to  what  the  American  had  been  accus- 
tomed. 

The  streets  are  so  narrow  that  vehicles  by  law  are 
obliged  to  pass  down  one  street  and  up  another,  while 
the  sidewalks  are  not  more  than  two  feet  wide  and  hol- 
lowed down  in  the  centre  by  the  constant  trampling  of 
feet.  This  applies  to  the  city  proper,  for,  outside  the 
walls,  there  are  many  broad  and  beautiful  avenues.  The 
streets  are  very  noisy  and,  as  a  rule,  excessively  unclean. 

The  houses,  many  of  them  palaces,  wonderfully  beau- 
tiful within,  but  situated  on  dark  and  dirty  alleys,  are 
all  built' about  a  central  courtway.  There  are  no  fire- 
places anywhere,  nor  a  window  shielded  with  glass  in 
the  whole  city.  The  windows  have  iron  bars,  and  with- 
in those  of  the  first  stor}^  is  the  inevitable  row  of 
American  rocking  chairs.  Through  these  bars  the 
Cuban  lover  interviews  hisn  iamorata.  It  would  be  the 
height  of  indecorum  for  him  to  approach  nearer,  to 
seek  to  speak  with  her  within  the  walls  of  her  own 
home,  even  in  the  presence  of  her  father  and  mother. 

Cows  are  driven  about  the  streets  and  milked  in  fiont 
of  your  own  door,  when  5'ou  desire  the  lacteal  fluid. 
This  custom  is,  at  all  events,  a  safeguard  against  adul- 
teration. 


1 66     THK  TOPOGRAPHY   AND   RESOURCES   OF  CUBA. 

lyadies  do  not  go  into  the  shops  to  make  purchases, 
but  all  goods  are  brought  out  to  them  as  they  sit  in 
their  volantes. 

By  the  way,  the  volante  (flyer)  is  the  national  car- 
riage and  no  other,  practically,  is  used  in  the  country. 
It  consists  of  a  two  seated  vehicle,  slung  low  down  by 
leather  straps  from  the  axle  of  two  large  wheels,  and  it 
has  shafts  fifteen  feet  long.  The  horse  in  the  shafts  is 
led  by  a  postillion,  whose  horse  is  harnessed  on  the 
other  side  of  the  shafts  in  the  same  manner.  The  car 
riage  is  extremely  comfortable  to  travel  in,  and  the 
height  of  the  wheels  and  their  distance  apart  prevent  all 
danger  of  turning  over,  although  the  roads  in  the  coun- 
try are  for  the  most  part,  mere  tracks  through  fields  and 
open  land.  Ox  carts  and  pack  mules  are  used  for  con- 
veying goods  in  the  interior  of  the  island  outside  of  the 
meagre  railway  lines. 

Havana  has  some  beautiful  public  parks  and  some 
really  fine  statues,  chiefly  those  of  Spain's  former 
rulers. 

Its  principal  theatre,  the  Tacon,  is  celebrated 
throughout  the  world  for  its  size  and  beauty.  In  re- 
gard to  theatres,  there  is  one  peculiar  custom  in  Ha- 
vana: By  the  payment  of  a  certain  sum,  beyond  the 
price  of  admission,  one  is  allowed  to  go  behind  the 
scenes  between  the  acts.  This  privilege  has  caused 
great  annoyance  to  many  eminent  artists. 

The  cathedral  of  Havana  is  rather  imposing  in  archi- 
tecture, although  it  is  badly  situated,  but  it  is  very  in- 
teresting because  there  is  an  urn  within  its  walls  which 


THK   TOPOGRAPHY   AND    RESOURCEJS   OP   CUBA.      1 67 

is  said,  and  with  a  large  semblance  of  truth,  to  contain 
the  bones  of  Columbus. 

Space  does  not  permit  us  to  tell  of  all  the  charms  of 
Havana,  but,  suffice  it  to  sa}',  that  it  was  and  will  be 
again,  under  far  happier  conditions  too,  one  of  the  most 
delightful  cities  in  the  world. 

The  cit}'  of  Cuba,  next  in  commercial  importance  to 
Havana,  is  Matanzas.  It  is  beautifully  situated  on  the 
north  coast,  about  seventy  miles  from  Havana,  and  has 
a  population  of  about  fifty  thousand.  The  climate  is 
fine,  and  Matanzas  is  considered  the  healthiest  city  on 
the  island.  With  proper  drainage  (something  that  has 
hitherto  been  almost  unknown  in  Cuba  as  are  all  other 
sanitary  arrangements)  5'ellow  fever  and  malaria  would 
be  almost  unknown.  If  it  should  ever  come  under 
American  enterprise,  the  city  would  develop  into  a  su- 
perb pleasure  resort  and  be  a  fatal  rival  to  the  Florida 
towns.  We  cannot  forbear  to  mention  the  Caves  of  Bel- 
lamar.  These  are  not  far  from  Matanzas  and  are  sub- 
terranean caverns,  of  which  there  are  a  number  in  Cuba. 
The  walls  and  roofs  are  covered  with  stalactites  of  every 
conceivable  hue  and  shape,  and  forming  pictures  of 
beauty  far  beyond  anything  conceived  of,  even  in  the 
Arabian  Nights. 

The  most  modern  citj^  of  importance  is  Cienfuegos  (as 
its  name  signifies,  the  City  of  a  Hundred  Fires).  It  has 
a  population  of  about  twenty-six  thousand  and  its  har- 
bor is  one  of  the  best  on  the  southern  coast,  with  a 
depth  of  27  feet  at  the  anchorage,  and  from  14  to  16 
feet  at  the  wharves. 


i68     THEJ   TOPOGRAPHY   AND    RESOURCES    OF    CUBA. 

Cardenas  is  a  seaport  on  the  north  coast  about  135 
miles  east  of  Havana.  Its  population  is  about  the  same 
as  Cienfuegos.  In  the  rainy  season,  its  climate  is  dis- 
tinctly bad  and  its  sanitary  conditions  worse.  It  has 
some  large  manufactories,  and  carries  on  a  flourishing 
trade. 

Santiago  de  Cuba,  on  the  southeastern  coast,  is  the 
second  citj^  of  size  in  Cuba  (60,000  inhabitants),  and 
the  one  on  which  all  American  eyes  have  been  fixed,  for 
it  is  there  that  our  brave  Sampson  bottled  up  Cervera's 
illusive  fleet,  and  on  its  suburbs  a  fierce  battle  was 
fought,  July  I,  2  and  3,  between  the  American  troops 
under  General  Shaffer  and  the  Spanish  army  under 
General  Linares,  resulting  in  the  defeat  of  the  latter 
and  the  subsequent  surrender  of  the  city  to  the  United 
States'  forces  on  Sundaj',  July  17.     • 

It  is  very  difficult,  by  the  way,  to  find  the  entrance  to 
the  harbor  of  Santiago.  Approaching  it  from  the  sea, 
nothing  is  seen  but  lofty  mountains.  When  quite  near, 
two  mountains  seem  to  suddenly  part,  and  a  channel 
only  180  yards   wide,  but  of  good  depth,  is  revealed. 

It  is  the  oldest  city  in  America,  many  years  older 
than  St.  Augustine,  having  been  founded  by  Velasquez 
in  15 14,  and  is  exceedingly  quaint  and  mediaeval. 

Its  chief  fortifications  are  the  Castillo  of  I,a  Socapa 
and  the  Morro  Castle,  the  largest  and  most  picturesque 
of  the  three  of  that  name.  The  latter  was  built  about 
1640,  and  is  a  fine  specimen  of  the  feudal  "donjon 
keep"  with  battlemented  walls,  moats,  drawbridge, 
portcullis  and  all  the  other  paraphernalia  of  the  days  of 


THE)  TOPOGRAPHY   AND    RESOURCES    OF    CUBA,      1 69 

romance.  The  harbor  itself,  around  which  so  much  in- 
terest has  clustered,  is  naturally  one  of  the  finest  in  the 
world,  but  no  pains  has  been  taken  to  improve  it,  the 
funds  appropriated  for  that  purpose  having  been  stolen 
by  the  Spanish  engineers  and  officials. 

Santiago  is  Spanish  for  St.  James,  who  is  the  special 
patron  saint  of  Spain,  on  account  of  a  myth  that  he  once 
made  a  journey  to  that  country. 

Cuba,  in  short,  is  one  of  *he  most  beautiful  and  fer- 
tile countries  on  the  face  of  the  globe,  but  man,  in  the 
shape  of  brutal  Spain,  has  done  everything  he  could,  to 
ruin  the  gifts  Nature  so  lavishly  bestowed. 

Let  us  hope  and  believe,  as  surely  we  have  every 
reason  to  do,  that  upon  the  "Pearl  of  the  Antilles,"  the 
sun  of  prosperity  will  rise,  driving  away  the  gloomy 
shadows  of  oppression,  and  that  the  dawn  will  be  not 
long  postponed. 


170  WHAT  WII,!,  the;   future  BE)  J* 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

WHAT  wii.iv  the;  future  bf? 

It  is  unnecessary  to  refer  except  in  a  brief  manner  to 
the  Spanish-American  war,  as  the  struggle  is  at  the 
present  time  of  writing  only  in  its  inception,  and  no 
one  can  tell  how  long  it  will  last  or  what  reverses  each 
side  may  experience  before  peace  is  declared. 

One  thing  is  certain,  however.  The  result  is  not 
problematical.  It  is  assured.  The  United  States  will  be 
victorious  in  the  end,  be  that  end  near  or  distant,  and 
Cuba  must  and  shall  be  free. 

If  ever  there  was  a  war  that  was  entered  into  purely 
from  motives  cf  humanity  and  with  no  thought  what- 
ever of  conquest,  it  is  this  one.  The  entire  people  of  the 
United  States  were  agreed  that  their  purpose  was  a  holy 
one,  and  instantly  the  call  of  the  President  was  re- 
sponded to  from  all  parts  of  the  country.  Sectional 
differences,  such  as  they  were,  vanished  like  mist  be- 
fore the  sun.  There  was  no  Easterner,  no  Westerner,  no 
Northerner,  no  Southerner,  but  "Americans  all." 

We  are  proud  of  our  army  and  navy,  and  justly  so. 
Dewey  destroyed  a  large  fleet,  without  the  loss  of  a 
man,  a  feat  unprecedented  in  the  annals  of  warfare, 
ancient  or  modern.  Sampson  bottled  up  Cervera's  fleet 
in  the  harbor  of  Santiago,  after  the  wily  admiral  had  at- 
tempted a  diplomacy  which  was  nothing   more  nor  less 


WHAT   WILL  THE   FUTURE   BE?  17I 

than  absurd,  and  when  Cervera,  on  the  eve  of  the  sur- 
render of  the  citv,  attempted  to  escape  from  his  self- 
constituted  trap,  his  four  armored  cruisers  and  two 
torpedo  boat  destroyers  were  literally  riddled  and  sunk 
outside  the  harbor  by  the  skilful  gunners  of  the 
American  fleet.  Hobson,  in  sinking  the  Merrimac,  dis- 
played a  heroism  that  has  never  been  surpassed.  And 
on  land,  General  Shafter's  achievements  have  been  bril- 
liant in  the  extreme. 

It  is  interesting  here  to  examine  for  a  moment  the  at- 
titude of  other  countries  toward  us  since  the  declaration 
of  war  with  Spain. 

Of  course  they  all  declared  neutrality. 

At  first  France  apparently  was  very  bitter  against  us, 
declaring  that  it  was  a  war  of  aggression  and  one  that 
was  unjustified.  We  think  we  have  already  shown  in 
these  pages  how  unwarrantable  such  an  accusation  was. 
There  was  a  reason  for  France's  feeling,  outside  of  the 
fact  that  her  people,  like  Spain's,  belong  to  the  Latin  race, 
and  that  reason  was  that  a  large  proportion  of  Spanish 
bonds  was  held  in  France.  Even  the  best  of  us  do  not 
bear  with  equanimity  anything  which  depletes  our 
pockets.  But  it  was  not  long  before  a  great  change  took 
place  both  in  press  and  public  and  a  wave  of  French 
sympathy  turned  toward  us.  This  is  as  it  should  be  and 
was  inevitable.  There  could  be  no  lasting  rancor  be- 
tween us  and  our  sister  republic,  the  country  who  gave 
us  Lafayette  and  presented  us  with  the  Statue  of  Lib- 
erty. 

The  press  of  Germany  has  unquestionably   said  some 


172  WHAT   WILL   THE   FUTURE   BE? 

very  harsh  things.  But  we  are  confident  that  the  feeling 
is  confined  to  the  press  and  does  not  represent  the  mass 
of  the  people.  We  do  know  that  it  is  in  no  way  repre- 
sentative of  the  German  government,  which  from  the 
very  beginning  has  showed  itself  most  friendly  to  us. 
The  ties  between  Germany  and  the  United  States  are 
too  strong  ever  to  be  severed,  with  the  thousands  and 
thousands  of  Germans  in  this  country  who  rank  among 
our  very  best  citizens. 

Russia,  who  from  time  immemorial  has  been  our 
friend  and  given  us  her  moral  support  in  all  our 
troubles,  has  treated  us  with  the  utmost  cordiality. 

But  the  pleasantest  thing  of  all  has  been  the  attitude 
of  Great  Britain,  our  once  mother  country.  She  has 
stood  by  us  through  thick  and  thin,  hurling  defiance  in 
the  face  of  the  world  in  her  championship  of  us,  and  re- 
joicing in  our  victories  almost  as  if  they  were  her  own. 
This  has  done  more  to  bring  the  two  great  English- 
speaking  nations  together  than  anything  else  could  pos- 
sibly have  done,  and  will  probably  have  far  reaching 
consequences  in  the  future. 

The  Marquis  of  Lansdowne,  the  British  Secretary  of 
State  of  War,  in  a  recent  speech,  thus  expressed  him- 
self: 

'  'There  could  be  no  more  inspiring  ideal  than  an  un- 
derstanding between  two  nations  sprung  from  the  same 
race  and  having  so  many  common  interests,  nations 
which,  together,  are  predominant  in  the  world's  com- 
merce and  industry. 

"Is    there   anything   preposterous   in    the  hope  that 


WHAT   WILI.  THE   FUTURE   BE?  1 73 

these  two  nations  should  be  found — I  will  not  say  in  a 
hard  and  fast  alliance  of  offense  and  defense,  but  closely 
connected  in  their  diplomacy,  absolutely  frank  and  un- 
reserved in  their  international  councils,  and  ready 
wherever  the  affairs  of  the  world  are  threatened  with 
disturbance  to  throw  their  influence  into  the  same  scale  ? 

' '  Depend  upon  it,  these  are  no  mere  idle  dreams  or 
hazy  aspirations.  The  change  which  has  come  over  the 
sentiment  of  each  country  toward  the  other  during  the 
last  year  or  two  is  almost  immeasurable.  One  can 
scarcely  believe  they  are  the  same  United  States  with 
whom,  only  two  years  ago,  we  were  on  the  verge  of  a 
serious  quarrel. 

' '  The  change  is  not  an  ephemeral  understanding  be- 
tween diplomatists,  but  a  genuine  desire  of  the  two 
peoples  to  be  friends,  and  therefore  it  cannot  be  laughed 
out  of  existence  by  the  sort  of  comments  we  have  lately 
heard." 

There  is  a  poem  which  we  cannot  forbear  to  quote 
here,  it  is  so  fine  in  itself  and  so  expressive  of  the  ex- 
isting situation.  The  author  is  Richard  Mansfield,  the 
eminent  actor: 

THE  EAGIvE'S  SONG. 

BY     RICHARD     M  A  N  S  F  I  E  ly  D  . 

The  Lioness  whelped,  and  the  sturdy  cub 

Was  seized  by  an  eagle  and  carried  up 

And  homed  for  a  while  in  an  eagle's  nest, 

And  slept  for  a  while  on  an  eagle's  breast, 

And  the  eagle  taught  it  the  eagle's  song: 

"To  be  staunch  and  valiant  and  free  and  strong  I" 


174  WHAT  WILL  THE   FUTURE   BE? 

The  Lion  whelp  sprang  from  the  eerie  nest, 
From  the  lofty  crag  where  the  queen  birds  rest; 
He  fought  the  King  on  the  spreading  plain, 
And  drove  him  back  o'er  the  foaming  main. 

He  held  the  land  as  a  thrifty  chief, 
And  reared  his  cattle  and  reaped  his  sheaf, 
Nor  sought  the  help  of  a  foreign  hand, 
Yet  welcomed  all  to  his  own  free  land ! 

Two  were  the  sons  that  the  country  bore 
To  the  Northern  lakes  and  the  Southern  shore, 
And  Chivalry  dwelt  with  the  Southern  son, 
And  Industry  lived  with  the  Northern  one. 

Tears  for  the  time  when  they  broke  and  fought ! 
Tears  was  the  price  of  the  union  wrought ! 
And  the  land  was  red  in  a  sea  of  blood, 
Where  brother  for  brother  had  swelled  the  flood  I 

And  now  that  the  two  are  one  again, 
Behold  on  their  shield  the  word  "Refrain!" 
And  the  lion  cubs  twain  sing  the  eagle's  song, 
"To  be  staunch  and  valiant  and  free  and  strong!" 
For  the  eagle's  beak  and  the  lion's  paw, 
And  the  lion's  fangs  and  the  eagle's  claw, 
And  the  eagle's  swoop  and  the  lion's  might, 
And  the  lion's  leap  and  the  eagle's  sight. 
Shall  guard  the  flag  with  the  word  "Refrain!" 
Now  that  the  two  are  one  again  I 
Here's  to  a  cheer  for  the  Yankee  ships! 
And  "Well  done,  Sam,"  from  the  mother's  lips! 

War  is  unquestionably  a  terrible  thing.  As  General 
Sherman  put  it,  ' '  war  is  hell."  But  there  are  other  ter- 
rible and  yet  necessary  things,  also,  such  as  the  opera- 
tions of  surgery  and  the  infliction  of  the  death  penalty. 

War  is  justifiable,  when  waged,  as  the  present  one  un- 
questionably is,  from  purely  unselfish  motives,  simply 
from  a  determination  to  rescue    a    people  whose  suffer- 


WHAT   WILI.   THK    FUTUR:^   BE?  1 75 

ings  had  become  unbearable  to  them  and  to  the  lookers- 
on.  The  United  States,  by  its  action,  has  set  a  lesson 
for  the  rest  of  the  world,  which  the  latter  will  not  be 
slow  to  learn  and  for  which  future  generations  will 
bless  the  name  of  America. 

Nobly  are  we  following  out  the  precepts  of  our  fore- 
fathers, who  declared  in  one  of  the  most  magnificent 
documents  ever  framed : 

' '  We  hold  these  truths  to  be  self-evident :  That  all 
men  are  created  equal ;  that  they  are  endowed  by  their 
Creator  with  certain  inalienable  rights;  that  among 
these  are  life,  liberty,  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness; 
that,  to  secure  these  rights,  governments  are  instituted 
among  men,  deriving  their  just  powers  from  the  consent 
of  the  governed ;  that,  whenever  any  form  of  govern- 
ment becomes  destructive  of  these  ends,  it  is  the  right 
of  the  people  to  alter  or  abolish  it,  and  to  institute  new 
government,  la5'ing  its  foundation  on  such  principles, 
and  organizing  its  powers  in  such  form,  as  to  them 
shall  seem  most  likely  to  effect  their  safety  and  happi- 
ness. ' ' 

We  fought  for  these  principles,  in  our  own  interests, 
a  century  and  a  quarter  ago ;  in  the  interests  of  others, 
we  are  fighting  for  them  to-day. 

A  question  which  has  been  universally  asked  is  this : 
Can  the  Cubans,  if  they  obtain  freedom,  govern  them- 
selves, or  will  not  a  free  Cuba  become  a  second  Hayti 
with  all  the  horrors  of  that  island? 

To  this  our  reply  is :  Most  emphatically  Cuba  will  be 
able  to  govern  herself ;  not  in  the    beginning,  perhaps, 


176  WHAT   WILIv  The:   future   BE? 

where  mistakes  must  of  necessity  be  made,  but  most  cer- 
tainly in  the  end. 

The  Cuban  leaders  are  men  of  high  intelligence  and 
lofty  purposes,  and  they  know  what  reforms  must  be 
instituted.  Some  one  has  said  that  "love  of  liberty  is 
the  surest  guarantee  of  representative  government." 

Surely  these  men  have  shown  their  love  of  liberty  in 
the  fullest  degree  and  have  proved  themselves  in  every 
way  fitted  for  self-government. 

The  Cubans,  strange  as  the  statement  may  seem  to 
those  who  have  studied  the  matter  only  in  a  cursory 
wa5%  are  not  a  people  who  love  trouble.  Though  revo- 
lution after  revolution  has  occurred  in  the  island,  the 
Cubans  have  never  taken  up  arms  until  every  peaceful 
means  of  redress  had  been  resorted  to. 

It  has  been  feared  that  the  negro  element  would  be  a 
disturbing  influence,  but  we  can  see  little  or  no  reason 
for  this  dread.  The  same  thing  was  said  of  the  emanci- 
pation of  the  slaves  in  our  own  South,  but  certainly, 
taken  altogether,  the  behavior  of  the  colored  race  in  the 
United  States,  since  the  Civil  War,  has  been  most 
praiseworthy. 

A  Frenchman,  Baron  Antomarchi,  who  is  naturally 
unprejudiced,  says: 

' '  When  the  time  for  the  settlement  of  the  Cuban 
question  shall  have  come  it  will  be  an  affair  of  give  and 
take  between  the  whites  and  the  negroes,  and  if  the 
negro  does  not  succeed  in  convincing  the  white  man 
that  he  is  entitled  to  a  full  measure  of  civil  authority,  a 
measure  which   by  reason  of  his   numerical    strength  he 


I 


WHAT*  WII.lv  THEJ  future;  BB?  1 77 

will  have  a  right,  under  a  republican  government,  to 
exact,  then  we  may  have  to  stand  by  while  Cuba  en- 
gages in  an  internal  struggle  important  enough  to 
cripple  or,  to  say  the  least,  seriously  hinder,  her  devel- 
opment. Should  the  war  come  to  an  end  and  should 
Cuba  be  free  to  develop  the  riches  of  the  land  for  which 
she  is  now  battling,  an  American  protectorate  would 
prevent  all  dangers  of  race  conflict.  The  United  States 
would  be  under  a  moral  obligation  to  avert  disorder. 
Aside  from  all  considerations  of  a  commercial  character 
there  would  be  the  obligation  resulting  from  an  adher- 
ence to  consistency  of  conduct.  The  stand  taken  by  the 
American  legislators,  or  some  of  them,  to  say  nothing  of 
the  stand  taken  by  the  American  people,  would  make 
this  latter  obligation  even  still  more  binding. 

Not  until  her  machetes  shall  have  been  returned  to 
their  original  use  can  Cuba  develop  the  riches  bestowed 
upon  her  by  Nature.  After  the  dawn  of  peace,  when  her 
sons  are  free  to  settle  down  to  the  tranquil  life  of  the 
untrammeled  husbandman,  there  will  be  no  hunted  ex- 
iles in  the  long  grass  of  her  savannas.  When  Cuba  has 
attained  the  quiet  calm  that  her  younger  generation  has 
never  known,  she  will  show  the  world  that  it  was  not 
for  idle  brigands  that  Maceo  died.  In  the  shadow  of  the 
feathered  cocoa  palms  in  the  deep  shade  of  the  drooping 
heavy  leaves  where  Gilard  dreamed  of  liberty,  great 
cities  shall  one  day  loom  in  the  misty,  tropic  twilight, 
and  peace  shall  brood  over  the  land  that  now,  seamed 
with  the  graves  of  Cuba's  heroes,  awaits  the  murdered 
bodies  of  Cuban  victims.     Not  until  that  day  has   come 


lyS  WHAT  WILI,  THS  futur:^  bs? 

■will  it  be  known  how  strong  to  endure  torment  and  sor- 
row, how  brave  in  time  of  danger,  were  the  men  who 
won  the  day  for  Cuban  independence. ' ' 

It  is  absolutely  certain  that  all  the  natural  and  politi- 
cal ties  that  have  bound  ' '  the  Ever  Faithful  Isle"  to  the 
mother  country  have  been  so  completely  severed  that  it 
is  utterly  impossible  they  should  ever  be  united  again. 

The  unique  banner  of  Cuba,  with  its  blue  and  white 
stripes  and  a  single  star  upon  a  red  triangle,  has  cost 
more  blood  and  treasure  than  any  revolutionary  flag 
known  to  history. 

When  this  war  is  over,  and  Spain  has  learned  her  les- 
son, severe  but  well-deserved,  and  we  hope  salutary, 
then  shall  that  flag  take  its  place  among  the  honored 
ones  of  other  nations ;  then  will  the  Cubans  show  their 
ability  to  prize  and  cherish  the  liberty  for  which  the 
blood  of  their  heroes  has  been  spilled;  then,  under  the 
protectorate  of  the  United  States,  but  as  an  independent 
republic,  will  Cuba,  in  the  words  of  our  own  General 
L,ee,  emerge  from  the  dark  shadows  of  the  past,  and 
stand  side  by  side  with  those  countries  who  have  their 
place  in  the  sunlight  of  peace,  progress  and  prosperity. 

Oh !  Cuba  Libre !  as  Longfellow  said  of  our  own 
Union,  so  do  all  Americans,  who  are  now  fighting  with 
you  shoulder  to  shoulder,  say  to  you : 

"Our  hearts,  our  hopes,  are  all  with  thee; 
Our  hearts,  our  hopes,  our  prayers,  our  tears, 
Our  faith  triumphant  o'er  our  fears, 
Are  all  with  thee — are  all  with  thee!" 

(the  end.) 


PORTO  RICO 


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PORTO  RICO. 


Its  History,  Products 
And  Possibilities  .    . 

BY 

A.  D.  HALL, 

Author  of  "Cuba"  and  "The  Philippines" 


NEW  YORK 

STREET  &  SMITH,  Publishers 
8 1  Fulton  Street 


Copyrighted  1898 

BY 

Street  &  Smith. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  FAGK 

I — The  Aborigines  of  Porto  Rico        .        .       ,       ,  7 

II — Struggles  of  the  Past       ..00.,  18 

III — Topography  and  Climate        00000  27 

IV — Population  and  Towns    .0000,  36 

V — Resources          <>        .        .        o        <,        o        ,        »  42 

VI — Manners  and  Customs     .        .        .        .        ^        c  53 

VII— The  Dawn  of  Freedom     .        .        o        ,        ^        ^  69 

VIII — Naval  Lessons  Taught  by  the  War         o        c        .  77 

IX — What  Our  Army  Achieved      .0000  88 

X — How  the  Porto  Ricans  Received  Us     »        <,        „  104 

XI — Our  Claim  to  Porto  Rico         .        .        .        »        .  128 

XII — What  the  Possession  of  Porto  Rico  Will  Mean    0  143 


PORTO  RICO. 

CHAPTER  I. 

THK   ABORIGINES   OF   PORTO   RICO. 

Porto  Rico,  or  Puerto  Rico,  as  it  is  sometimes  called, 
has  lately  become  of  the  first  importance  in  the  eyes  of 
the  world.  To  Americans  it  has  assumed  special  inter- 
est, as  it  is  now  practically  in  the  possession  of  the 
United  States,  and  sooner  or  later  will  be  represented  by 
a  new  star  in  our  beautiful  flag,  that  flag  which  recently, 
by  the  magnificent  exploits  ot  our  navy  and  army,  has 
assumed  a  greater  importance  than  ever  among  the 
standards  of  the  universe. 

Uncle  Sam  will  certainly  find  this  beautiful  and  fer- 
tile island  a  most  valuable  possession,  every  foot  of 
which  he  could  sell  at  a  large  substantial  price,  if  he 
chose  to  do  so. 

Until  recently  there  has  been  an  impression  in  the 
United  States  that  Porto  Rico  did  not  amount  to  much, 
that  Cuba  was  the  only  island  in  the  West  Indies  which 
was  of  any  especial  value.  But  this  is  the  most  grievous 
error,  as  we  shall  endeavor  to  show  in  the  course  of  this 
little  book. 

The  island,  without  much  exaggeration,  can  really  be 
called  the  garden  spot  of  the  world,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  when  the  Stars  and  Stripes  wave  per- 


8  THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO. 

manently  over  it,  and  there  is  an  influx  of  American  en- 
terprise and  wealth,  there  will  be  a  marvelous  increase 
in  values  of  all  kinds. 

Like  all  Spanish  colonies,  Porto  Rico  has  been 
wofully  mismanaged.  The  Spaniards  have  looked  upon 
it  in  the  light  of  a  more  or  less  valuable  cow  from  which 
every  drop  of  milk  must  be  squeezed.  But  now,  under 
more  fortuitous  circumstances,  under  a  more  beneficent 
rule,  the  charming  little  island  will  undoubtedly 
' '  blossom  as  a  rose' ' ;  for  those  who  have  looked  into 
the  subject  have  declared  that  more  can  be  raised  on  an 
acre  of  land  in  Porto  Rico  than  in  any  other  portion  of 
the  globe.  Later  on  we  shall  examine  in  detail  the  truth 
or  falsehood  of  this  statement. 

Porto  Rico  is  older  than  the  United  States,  for  it  was 
discovered  by  Columbus  on  November  i6,  1493,  during 
his  second  voyage  to  America.  The  great  discoverer  re- 
mained there  only  two  days  in  the  port  of  Aquadilla, 
but  he  did  not  come  in  contact  with  any  of  the  ingenu- 
ous natives,  for  they  fled  in  terror  when  they  saw  his 
ship. 

During  their  subsequent  conquests  in  the  West 
Indies,  the  Spaniards  paid  no  attention  to  Porto  Rico 
until  1509.  At  this  time  Ponce  de  Leon,  then  governor 
of  Hispaniola,  afterward  known  as  Hayti,  determined 
to  extend  his  dominion.  With  the  idea  of  obtaining 
fresh  supplies  of  gold,  he  went  to  Porto  Rico  and  made 
a  long  visit  to  the  chief  of  the  natives,  by  whom  he  was 
received  and  entertained  with  the  greatest  kindness  and 
hospitality.     The  chief   willingly   pointed  out   to  his 


THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO,  9 

Spanish  guests  all  the  great  resources  of  the  island,  and 
when,  with  the  greed  which  has  ever  distinguished  the 
men  of  their  countr)^  they  asked  for  gold,  he  took  them 
to  streams  where  the  sands  were  loaded  with  the  pre- 
cious metal. 

Ponce  de  Leon  was  so  delighted  with  the  beauty  and 
fertility  of  the  island  that  he  imagined  he  could  find 
there  the  fountain  of  perpetual  youth  for  which  he  so 
long  sought  in  vain.  In  this  chimerical  idea,  however, 
as  in  Florida,  he  was  doomed  to  disappointment. 

The  original  name  of  the  island  is  said  to  have  been 
Borinquen,  and  the  population  of  the  natives,  who  were 
of  the  same  race  as  the  inhabitants  of  the  other  islands 
of  the  Greater  Antilles,  has  been  estimated  at  six  hun- 
dred thousand. 

Dr.  C.  T.  Bed  well,  recently  British  consul  at  Porto 
Rico,  has  published  a  most  interesting  report  in  regard 
to  the  aborigines,  and  from  this  report  we  have  ob- 
tained considerable  of  the  information  which  follows. 

Among  the  Sibaros,  or  sallow  people  of  to-day,  one 
rarely  sees  a  physical  trace  of  Indian  descent,  although 
in  their  mode  of  living  much  of  Indian  character  exists, 
Fra5'  Inigo  Abbad,  who  wrote  a  work  on  Porto  Rico, 
published  in  Madrid  in  1878,  says  that  when  the  Span- 
iards first  came  to  Porto  Rico  "it  was  as  thickly  popu- 
lated as  a  beehive,  and  so  beautiful  that  it  resembled  a 
garden."  Fray  Inigo  says  that  the  color  of  the  Indians 
of  Porto  Rico  was  the  copper  color  known  to  the  aborig- 
ines of  America,  though  they  were  of  a  sallow  and 
somewhat  darker   complexion.     They   were   shorter   in 


lo  THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO. 

Stature  than  the  Spaniards,  stout  and  well-proportioned. 
They  had  flat  noses  with  wide  nostrils,  bad  teeth  and 
narrow  foreheads.  Their  heads  were  flat,  both  in  front 
and  at  the  back,  "because,"  says  the  author,  "they 
were  pressed  into  this  shape  at  the  time  of  their  birth." 
They  had  long,  thin,  coarse  hair,  and,  according  to 
Fray  Inigo,  they  were  without  hair  on  their  face  or  on 
other  parts  of  their  body.  This,  however,  is  disputed 
by  some  writers. 

The  small  quantity  and  little  substance  of  the  food 
they  used,  the  facility  with  which  they  supplied  ma- 
terial wants  without  labor,  the  excessive  heat  of  the  cli- 
mate, and  the  absence  of  quadrupeds  for  the  exercise  of 
hunting,  caused  them,  he  says,  to  be  weak  and  indolent, 
and  averse  to  labor  of  all  kinds.  Anything  that  was  not 
necessary  to  satisfy  the  pangs  of  hunger,  or  that  did  not 
afford  amusement,  such  as  hunting  or  fishing,  was  re- 
garded with  indifference.  Neither  the  hope  of  reward 
nor  the  fear  of  punishment  would  tempt  them  to,  seek 
the  one  or  to  avoid  the  other. 

Fray  Inigo  admits,  however,  that  there  were  some  ex- 
ceptions among  them,  and  says  that  some  of  the  Indians 
displayed  much  bravery  and  strength  in  the  contests 
with  the  Spanish  soldiers. 

Their  forms  were  light  and  free,  and  there  were  no 
cripples  among  them. 

They  were  governed  by  Caciques,  whose  eldest  sons 
inherited  the  succession.  In  the  absence  of  a  son  the 
chief  was  succeeded  by  the  eldest  son  of  his  sister,  that 
there  might  be  no  doubt  as  to  true  descent. 


THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO.  ii 

The  tutelary  deity  was  Cerni,  who  was  made  to  speak 
by  the  Buhitis  or  medicine  men,  who  were  at  the  same 
time  the  priests.  The  Buhites  hid  themselves  behind 
the  statue  of  Cerni  and  declared  war  or  peace,  arranged 
the  seasons,  granted  sunshine  or  rain,  or  whatever  was 
required,  according  to  the  will  of  the  Cacique.  When 
announcements  were  not  fulfilled  the  Buhites  declared 
that  the  Cerni  had  changed  his  mind  for  wise  reasons  of 
his  own,  "without  on  this  account,"  says  Fray  Inigo, 
"the  power  or  credit  of  the  pretended  deity,  or  his  men- 
dacious ministers  being  doubted,  such  being  the  sim- 
plicity and  ignorance  of  the  Indians." 

The  chiefdoms  were  divided  into  small  provinces, 
which  for  the  most  part  only  comprised  the  inhabitants 
of  a  valley  ;  but  all  were  subject  to  the  head  Cacique, 
who  at  the  time  of  the  conquest  was  Aqueynoba.  He 
was  actually  governor-in-chief,  the  others  being  his  lieu- 
tenants, who  carried  out  his  orders  in  their  respective 
districts. 

Men  and  unmarried  women  wore  no  clothing,  but 
painted  their  bodies  abundantly,  and  with  much  skill, 
drawing  upon  them  many  varieties  of  figures  with  the 
ores,  gums  and  resins  which  they  extracted  from  trees 
and  plants.  In  this  uniform  they  presented  themselves 
i»n  their  military  expeditions,  public  balls,  and  other 
assemblies.  To  be,  well  painted  was  to  be  well  dressed, 
and  they  learned  from  experience  besides  that  the  resin- 
ous matter  and  vegetable  oils  with  which  they  painted 
their  bodies  served  to  preserve  them  from  excessive  heat 
and  superabundant  perspiration.    The  paint  also  served 


12  THR  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO. 

to  protect  them  from  the  changes  of  atmosphere,  the 
dampness  of  climate,  and  the  plague  of  the  numerous 
varieties  of  mosquitoes  and  other  insects,  which,  with- 
out this  precaution,  constantly  annoyed  them.  They 
wore  headdresses  made  of  feathers  with  exquisite  colors. 
They  put  small  plates  of  gold  on  their  cheeks,  and  hung 
shells,  precious  stones  and  relics  from  their  ears  and 
noses,  and  the  image  of  their  god  Cerni  was  never  for- 
gotten. The  chiefs  used  as  a  distinctive  emblem  a  large 
golden  plate  worn  on  their  breasts.  Married  women 
wore  an  apron  which  descended  to  about  half  their  leg; 
but  no  clothing  was  worn  on  the  rest  of  the  body.  The 
wives  of  the  Caciques  wore  their  aprons  to  their  ankles'^ 
except  at  the  national  game  of  ball,  when  they  also  wore 
short  ones. 

The  men  took  two,  three  or  more  wives,  according  to 
their  ability  to  support  them.  The  chiefs  possessed  a 
larger  number  of  wives  than  their  subjects,  but  one  of 
them  was  generally  preferred  over  all  others.  The  wo- 
men, besides  their  domestic  duties,  had  charge  of  the 
agricultural  pursuits  and  worked  in  the  fields.  Those 
best  loved  were  buried  alive  with  their  husband  on  his 
demise.  The  men  did  not  intermarry  with  relatives  of 
the  first  degree,  from  a  belief  that  such  marriages  re- 
sulted in  a  bad  death. 

Their  huts  were  similar  in  structure  and  in  character 
to  those  of  the  North  American  Indians. 

The  hammock  was  the  chief  article  of  furniture  of  the 
aborigines,  and  the  calabash  shell  their  only  cooking 
utensil. 


THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO.  13 

Their  arms  were  a  bow  and  arrow,  in  the  use  of  which 
they  were  very  skilful.  They  had  canoes  both  for  fish- 
ing and  sea  voyages.  These  were  hewn  out  of  the  timber 
of  enormous  trees,  the  like  of  which,  owing  to  fires  and 
seasons  of  drouth,  no  longer  exist  upon  the  island. 
Some  of  the  canoes  were  large  enough  to  hold  forty  or 
fifty  men. 

When  the  Indians  saw  that  the  sick  were  near  to 
death  they  suffocated  them.  Even  the  chiefs  did  not 
escape. 

After  death  they  opened  and  dried  the  body  by  fire, 
and  buried  it  in  a  large  cave,  in  which  were  interred 
also  some  live  women,  the  arms  of  the  deceased  and 
provisions  for  the  journey  to  the  other  world.  Sticks 
and  branches  of  trees  were  then  placed  on  the  top,  and 
the  whole  was  covered  with  earth,  which  was  thus  kept 
from  the  bodies  of  those  interred. 

They  were  accustomed  to  perform  a  national  dance 
which  was  called  the  areito.  At  the  conclusion  of  this 
dance,  all  became  intoxicated  with  drinks  made  by  the 
women  of  fruit,  maize  and  other  ingredients,  and  with 
the  smoke  of  tobacco  which  they  inhaled  in  their  nos- 
trils. 

As  has  been   said,    at   the   time  of  the  conquest  the 

name  of  the  native  chief  was  Aqueynoba.  He  was 
friendly  to  the  Spaniards  at  first  and  lived  peaceably 
with  them  for  some  time. 

There  is  no  douVjt  but  that  the  aborigines  were  con- 
fiding, generous  and  peaceful.  But,  like  all  savages, 
they  were  very  superstitious.     They  worshipped  a  vast 


14  THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO. 

quantity  of  idols,  but  believed  in  one  superior  deity. 
With  the  exception  of  the  Caribs,  who  occupied  the 
eastern  part  of  the  island,  they  were  not  cannibals. 
They  were  in  the  habit  of  practicing  quite  a  large  num- 
ber of  domestic  arts,  such  as  the  cultivation  of  the  soil, 
the  carving  in  wood  and  stone,  and  the  manufacture  of 
pottery  and  furniture. 

The  Spaniards  have  ever  been  treacherous,  selfish  and 
a  nation  of  money-grubbers. 

Now  followed  an  instance  which  is  only  one  of  many 
to  prove  the  truth  of  this  statement. 

After  Ponce  de  Leon  had  won  the  confidence  and  had 
been  the  recipient  of  boundless  hospitality  from  the 
islanders,  he  returned  to  Hayti  and  at  once  commenced 
to  fit  out  an  expedition  for  the  invasion  and  subjugation 
of  Porto  Rico.  From  a  purely  selfish  point  of  view,  this 
was  a  most  senseless  proceeding  on  his  part.  He  could 
have  done  much  better  without  having  any  recourse  to 
force,  for  at  first  the  natives  regarded  the  Spaniards  as 
immortal  visitors  from  Heaven,  as  superior  beings 
whom  they  could  not  kill. 

But  they  speedily  recognized  their  mistake  and  dis- 
covered the  abominable  character  of  the  invaders. 

De  Leon  killed  off  all  the  natives  that  he  could  and 
made  the  rest  slaves  to  work  in  the  gold  mines  of 
Hayti. 

When  any  one  resisted  he  was  killed,  and  if  he  at- 
tempted to  escape  he  was  hunted  down  by  bloodhounds. 

It  is  related  that  Ponce  de  Leon  had  a  dog  which 
became  noted  as  a  slave  catcher.     So  valuable  was  he  in 


THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO.  15 

this  respect  that  his  name  was  actually  carried  ou  the 
army  payroll  for  the  benefit  of  his  master. 

When  the  natives  found  that  they  were  being  slain  or 
deprived  of  their  liberty  they  naturally  became  exas- 
perated and  turned  against  their  dastardly  oppressors. 
But  from  their  point  of  view  it  was  absolutely  necessary 
to  find  out  if  the  Spaniards  were  mortal.  If  they  were 
not,  it  would  be  an  act  of  impiety  to  resist  them. 

This  vital  question  must  be  settled,  and  therefore  one 
of  the  native  chiefs  was  detailed  to  try  if  he  could  kill  a 
Spaniard.  The  trial  was  eminently  successful.  A 
young  man  named  Salzedo  was  found  alone  and  was 
drowned  by  the  natives. 

The  action  is  thus  related  in  the  words  of  a  competent 
authority : 

"The  guides  conducted  Salzedo  to  the  bank  of  a  small 
river  through  which  they  must  pass,  and  to  prevent  his 
being  exposed  to  the  water  one  of  the  Indians  kindly 
offered  to  take  him  on  his  shoulders  and  carry  him  over. 
Salzedo  mounted  to  his  high  seat  and  was  borne  into 
the  middle  of  the  stream,  when  the  Indian  and  his  bur- 
den fell  into  the  water.  The  other  Indians  immediately 
rushed  into  the  river  with  the  apparent  purpose  of  res- 
cuing their  guest,  but  contrived,  while  professing  to 
offer  him  assistance,  to  keep  his  head  continually  under 
water.  The  result  of  this  practical  biological  experiment, 
so  adroitly  conducted,  brought  hope  and  joy  to  the  de- 
spairing natives.  The  body  was  kept  immersed  until 
long  after  every  sign  of  life  had  gone,  but  they 
still    feared    animation    might    return.     Carrying    the 


i6  THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO. 

body  to  the  bank,  a  new  farce  was  acted;  they, 
lamented  over  him,  they  begged  his  pardon  for  the 
accident,  and  they  protested  their  innocence  of  any 
design.  In  every  way  they  provided  themselves  with  a 
plausible  defense  in  case  he  should  recover  or  they 
should  be  suspected.  After  several  days,  putrefaction 
happily  settled  all  their  doubts  about  the  mortality  of 
their  conquerors,  and  the  glad  news  was  communicated 
to  their  people." 

The  natives  then  at  once  commenced  to  massacre  the 
Spaniards.  But  this  did  not  last  long.  Ponce  de  Leon 
immediately  sent  for  reinforcements,  and  the  Indians 
believed  that  these  newcomers  were  the  resurrected 
bodies  of  those  they  had  killed.  This  idea  caused  them 
to  lose  all  hope  and  courage,  and  they  fell  an  easy  prey 
to  their  enemies.  It  was  not  many  years  before  the 
aboriginal  population,  large  as  it  was  originally,  was 
completely  exterminated. 

The  Spaniards  now  began  to  colonize  the  island  and 
the  town  of  Capana  was  the  first  one  settled  b}^  them. 
Its  site  was  found,  however,  to  be  too  high  and  inacces- 
sible. It  was  therefore  abandoned  and  in  151 1  the  pres- 
ent city  of  San  Juan  was  founded. 

In  this  city  Ponce  de  I^eon  built  the  governor's  palace 
called  Casa  Blanca,  a  structure  which  is  still  in  use. 

After  de  Leon's  unsuccessful  expedition  to  Florida, 
where  he  received  a  mortal  wound  at  the  hands  of  the 
Indians,  his  remains  were  brought  to  Porto  Rico  and 
interred  in  the  Dominican  church. 

The  inscription  upon  his  monument  reads  as  follows: 


THE  ABORIGINES  OF  PORTO  RICO.  17 

Mole  snb  hac  fortis  reqiiicscunt  ossa  Leonis 
Qui  vicit  fadis  noniina  magna  suis. 

These  words  may  be  translated  into  English  as  follows : 
"This  narrow  grave   contains  the  remains   of   a   man 
who  was  a  Lion  by  name,    and   much   more   so   by   his 
deeds." 

His  cruel  treatment  of  the  gentle  natives,  inspired 
though  it  may  have  been  and  probably  was  by  the  home 
government,  by  no  means  causes  him  to  deserve  so  flat- 
tering an  epitaph. 


i8  STRUGGLES  OP  THE  PAST, 


CHAPTER  II. 

STRUGGLES   OF   THE    PAST. 

Ever  since  the  days  of  Ponce  de  Leon,  Porto  Rico  has 
been  a  Spanish  possession.  It  has  never  been  captured, 
although  many  attempts  have  been  made  to  take  it  both 
by  external  and  internal  forces. 

None  of  these  attacks  seriously  affected  Spanish 
authority  on  the  island. 

But  although  the  island  has  never  been  taken,  it  has 
been  sacked.  It  may  be  said  that  it  vi^as  pirates  who 
did  this,  for  while  the  commanders  of  several  of  the  ex- 
peditions against  the  island  bore  great  names,  they 
were  really  little  more  or  less  than  pirates. 

The  first  to  attack  was  no  less  than  the  famous  Eng- 
lish commander,  Sir  Francis  Drake,  who  had  Elizabeth 
behind  him.  This  was  in  1595,  and  Drake  then  scored 
his  first  failure,  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  when  he  left 
his  ballast  consisted  of  ducatoons,  and  the  shops  of  San 
Juan  were  in  ruins. 

It  is  rather  a  strange  coincidence  that  Drake's  failure 
was  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Spaniards  had  recourse  to 
the  same  scheme  that  was  so  daringly  and  successfully 
carried  out  by  Lieutenant  Hobson  in  the  harbor  of  San- 
tiago. 

They  sunk  a  ship  in  the  neck  of  San  Juan  harbor, 
thereby  preventing  Drake's  fleet  from  obtaining  an  en- 
trance. 


•       STRUGGLES  OF  THE  PAST.  19 

Dr.  Griffin,  the  accomplished  assistant  librarian  of  the 
Congressional  lyibrary  in  Washington,  has  recently  been 
making  a  study  of  Porto  Rican  literature  which  has 
been  pregnant  with  interesting  results. 

Dr.  Griffin  discovered  the  following  in  an  old  English 
chronicle: 

"Confession  of  John  Austin,  mariner  of  London,  of 
the  late  company  of  Sir  Francis  Drake  and  Sir  John 
Hawkins. 

"Directions  were  given  that  if  any  of  the  fleet  lost 
company  they  should  make  for  Guadaloupe  in  the 
Indies;  his  ship  did  so,  but  having  lost  her  rudder 
failed,  and  was  taken  by  five  Spanish  frigates  and  the 
crew  imprisoned  in  the  Isle  of  St.  John  de  Porto  Rico. 
Sir  Francis,  who  lost  company  of  Sir  John  Hawkins, 
was  told  of  this  by  a  bark  which  saw  the  fight.  The 
prisoners  were  examined  and  threatened  with  torture 
to  tell  what  the  English  forces  were.  The  Spaniards 
sunk  ships  in  the  harbor  to  hinder  their  entrance.  Sir 
Francis  summoned  the  town,  and  on  their  refusing  to 
yield  sent  fifteen  vessels  to  burn  the  frigates  in  the  har- 
bor. Two  were  fired,  but  the  light  thus  made  enabled 
the  Spaniards  to  fire  on  the  English  ships  and  drive 
them  away.  The  English  attacked  the  fort,  but  Sir 
John  Hawkins  was  killed.  Sir  Francis  sent  back  to  the 
governor  five  prisoners  whom  he  had  taken,  and  begged 
that  the  English  might  be  well  treated  and  sent  home, 
in  which  there  was  an  improvement  in  their  diet,  etc. 
Sir  Francis  then  went  to  the  south  of  the  island,  got 
provisions  and  water  and  went  to  Carthagena.  This  was 


20  STRUGGLES  OF  THE  PAST. 

reported  by  two  frigates  that  watched  him,  and  then  the 
treasure  ships  in  Porto  Rico  with  $4,000,000  on  board 
sailed  for  Spain,  and  reached  St.  Lucas,  bringing  the 
English  prisoners,  who  still  remain  in  prison,  but  the 
examinante  escaped.  Two  fleets,  each  of  twenty-five 
ships,  and  5,000  men,  are  said  to  be  sent  out  to  follow 
Sir  Francis  Drake,  March  25,  1599." 

In  Barrow's  "Life  of  Drake,"  there  are  further  par- 
ticulars given  of  this  unsuccessful  attack  on  San  Juan, 
which  was  under  the  command  of  Sir  Francis  Drake  and 
Sir  John  Hawkins,  the  two  greatest  British  naval  com- 
manders then  living.     Barrow  says: 

"The  fitting  out  and  equipment  of  this  grand  expedi- 
tion were  not  surpassed  by  that  of  1585  to  the  West 
Indies  under  Sir  Francis  Drake,  Vice  Admiral  Forbesher 
and  Rear  Admiral  Knolles.  Its  destination,  in  the  first 
place,  was  intended  for  Porto  Rico,  where  the  queen 
had  received  information  that  a  vast  treasure  had  been 
brought,  and  intended  to  be  sent  home  from  thence  for 
the  use  of  the  King  of  Spain  in  completing  the  third 
grand  armament  (the  second  having  been  destroyed  by 
Drake)  which  he  had  in  contemplation  for  the  invasion 
of  England.  The  object  of  the  present  fleet  was  to  in- 
tercept the  treasure  and  thereby  cut  off  the  main  supply 
of  his  navy  and  army  destined  for  that  purpose. 

"Their  first  intention,  however,  had  been  to  land  at 
Nombre  de  Dios  and  proceed  direct  from  thence  over  the 
Isthmus  of  Panama  in  order  to  seize  the  treasure  gener- 
ally brought  thither  from  the  mines  of  Mexico  and 
Peru ;  but  in  a  few    days   before   their   departure   from 


STRUGGLES  OF  THE  PAST.  21 

Plymouth  they  received  letters  sent  by  order  of  the 
queen  informing  them  that  advices  had  been  received 
from  Spain  announcing  the  arrival  of  the  West  Indian  or 
Plata  fleet,  but  that  one  of  them,  a  very  valuable  ship, 
had  lost  her  mast  and  put  into  the  Island  of  Puerto 
Rico,  and  it  was  therefore  her  majesty's  recommenda- 
tion that  they  should  proceed  direct  to  that  island  to 
secure  the  ship  and  treasure  which  was  on  her." 

The  expedition  left  Plymouth,  August  28,  1595.  Be- 
fore going  to  Porto  Rico,  Drake,  against  the  protest  of 
Hawkins,  tried  to  take  the  Canaries  and  failed.  The 
voyage  was  then  continued. 

"On  the  30th  of  September,"  the  historian  continues, 
"Captain  Wegnot,  on  the  Francis,  a  bark  of  thirty -five 
tons,  being  the  sternmost  of  Sir  John  Hawkins'  division, 
was  chased  by  five  of  the  king's  frigates,  or  zobras,  be- 
ing ships  of  two  hundred  tons,  which  came  with  three 
other  zobras  for  the  treasure  at  San  Juan  de  Puerto  Rico. 
The  Francis,  mistaking  them  for  companions,  was  taken 
in  sight  of  our  caraval.  The  Spaniards,  indifferent  to 
human  suffering,  left  the  Francis  driving  in  the  sea 
with  three  or  four  hurt  and  sick  men,  and  took  the  rest 
of  her  people  into  their  ships  and  returned  to  Porto 
Rico. 

"The  squadron  now  intended  to  pass  through  the 
Virgin  Islands,  but  'here,'  says  Hakluyt,  'Sir  John 
Hawkins  was  extreme  sick,  which  his  sickness  began 
upon  neues  of  the  taking  of  the  Francis.'  Remaining 
here  two  days,  they  tarried  two  days  more  in  a  sound, 
which  Drake,  in  his  barge  had  discovered.     They   then 


22  STRUGGLES  OF  THE  PAST. 

stood  for  the  eastern  end  of  Porto  Rico,  where  Sir  John 
Hawkins  breathed  his  last. 

"Sir  Thomas  Baskerville  now  took  possession  of  the 
Garland  as  second  in  command.  The  fleet  came  to 
anchor  at  a  distance  of  two  miles,  or  less,  at  the  eastern 
side  of  the  town  of  San  Juan  de  Porto  Rico,  where,  says 
Hakluj't,  'we  received  from  their  forts  and  places, 
where  they  planted  ordnance,  some  twenty-eight  great 
shot,  the  last  of  which  stroke  the  admiral's  ship  through 
the  misen,  and  the  last  but  one  stroke  through  her  quar- 
ter into  the  steerage,  the  general  being  there  at  supper, 
and  stroke  the  stool  from  under  him,  but  hurt  him  not, 
but  hurt  at  the  same  table  Sir  Nicholas  Clifford,  Mr. 
Browne,  Captain  Stratford,  with  one  or  two  more.  Sir 
Nicholas  Clifford,  and  Master  Browne  died  of  their 
hurts.' 

"Drake,"  continues  Barrow,  "was  certainly  impru- 
dent in  suffering  the  squadron  to  take  up  anchorage  so 
near  to  the  means  of  annoyance ;  but  his  former  visit 
had  no  doubt  taught  the  enemy  the  prudence  of  being 
better  prepared  for  any  future  occasion,  and  it  is  some- 
what remarkable  that  Drake  should  not  have  observed 
his  usual  caution.  Browne  was  an  old  and  particular 
favorite  of  Drake. 

"The  following  morning  the  whole  fleet  came  to 
anchor  before  the  point  of  the  harbor  without  the  town, 
a  little  to  the  westward,  where  they  remained  til'  night- 
fall, and  then  twenty-five  pinnaces,  boats  and  shallops, 
well  manned,  and  furnished  with  fireworks  and  small 
shot,  entered  the  road.     The  great  castle,    or   galleon 


STRUGGLES  OF  THE  PAST.  23 

the  object  of  the  present  enterprise,  had  been  completely 
repaired,  and  was  on  the  point  of  sailing,  v-hen  certain 
intelligence  of  the  intended  attack  by  Drake  reached 
the  island.  Every  preparation  had  been  made  for  the 
defense  of  the  harbor  and  the  town ;  the  whole  of  the 
treasure  had  been  landed;  the  galleon  was  sunk  in  the 
mouth  of  the  harbor;  a  floating  bairier  of  masts  and 
spars  was  laid  on  each  side  of  her,  near  to  the  forts  and 
castles,  so  as  to  render  the  entrance  impassable;  within 
this  breakwater  were  the  five  zabras,  moored,  their 
treasure  also  taken  out ;  all  the  women  and  children 
and  infirm  people  were  moved  to  the  interior,  and  those 
only  left  in  the  town  who  were  able  to  aid  in  its  defense. 
A  heavy  fire  was  opened  on  the  English  ships,  but  the 
adventurers  persisted  in  their  desperate  attempt,  until 
they  had  lost,  by  their  own  account,  some  forty  or  fifty 
men  killed,  and  as  many  wounded;  but  there  was  conso- 
lation in  thinking  that  by  burning,  drowning  and  kill- 
ing, the  loss  of  the  Spaniards  could  not  be  less;  in  fact, 
a  great  deal  more;  for  the  five  zabras  and  a  large  ship 
of  400  tons  were  burned,  and  their  several  cargoes  of 
silk,  oil  and  wine  destroyed." 

After  thus  being  defeated  in  his  main  object,  Drake 
did  not  return  to  San  Juan.  He  contented  himself  with 
laying  tribute  upon  Porto  Rico,  and  burning  the  towns 
on  the  Caribbean  side  of  the  island. 

He  then  sailed  for  Worn  bee  de  Dios,  and,  when  the 
fleet  was  off  the  South  American  coast,  he  died  on  the 
28th  of  January  and  was  buried  at  sea.  Drake  was  suc- 
ceeded in  command  by  Sir  Thomas  Baskerville. 


J4  STRUGGLES  OF  THE  PAST. 

When  the  latter  was  on  his  way  back  to  England  he 
encountered  a  Spanish  fleet  and  engaged  in  battle  off 
the  Isle  of  Pines.  The  victory  was  decidedly  with  the 
English,  but  the  Spaniards  were  apparently  the  same 
then  as  they  are  to-day.  Everybody  remembers  Blanco's 
famous  dispatches,  famous  for  their  absurd  falseness.  So 
then  the  Spanish  admiral  issued  a  bulletin  in  which  he 
claimed  a  magnificent  triumph.  Baskerville  was  so 
angry  that  he  publicly  declared  the  admiral  to  be  a  liar 
and  challenged  him  to  a  duel.  Nothing,  however,  ever 
resulted  from  this  challenge. 

Three  years  later  the  Duke  of  Cumberland,  who  might 
also  be  called  a  corsair,  but  a  private  one,  as  he  acted  on 
his  own  hook,  attacked  San  Juan,  and  after  three  days' 
fighting,  laid  the  city  in  ruins.  He  was  unable  to  fol- 
low up  his  victory,  however,  as  the  fever  killed  his  men 
by  the  hundreds. 

The  English  tried  to  take  it  in  1615,  and  again  in 
1678. 

Once  more  in  1795,  seeing  the  great  advantage  of 
owning  the  harbor  of  San  Juan,  the  English  attempted 
to  capture  it,  but  they  were  repulsed  with  great 
slaughter. 

Spain  has  never  given  as  much  attention  to  Porto 
Rico  as  she  has  to  her  other  colonies,  and  therefore  the 
government,  while  practically  of  the  same  character, 
has  not  been  so  intolerable  as  in  Cuba  and  the  Philip- 
pines. 

For  nearly  three  hundred  years  the  island  was 
neglected.    During  all  that  time  it  was  used  chiefly  as  a 


STRUGGLES  OF  THE  PAST.  25 

watering  station  for  ships  and  as  a  penal  colony.  In 
1815  it  was  thrown  open  to  colonization,  and  land  was 
given  free  to  all  Spaniards  who  went  there  to  settle. 
As  a  consequence  a  host  of  adventurers  hastened  to 
Porto  Rico,  as  well  as  a  number  of  Spanish  loyalists, 
belonging  to  the  better  classes,  who  had  been  expelled 
by  the  decrees  of  other  and  rebellious  colonies. 

About  this  time  there  was  a  large  importation  of 
negro  slaves  to  work  on  the  sugar  plantations.  For  these 
reasons  the  wealth  and  population  rapidly  increased. 

Nevertheless  there  has  been  a  large  number  of  revo- 
lutions against  the  home  government. 

As  early  as  1820,  long  before  Cuba  had  made  any  at- 
tempt to  throw  off  the  Spanish  yoke,  the  Porto  Ricans 
made  an  effort  to  obtain  their  independence.  After  a 
short  guerilla  war,  this  first  rebellion  was  suppressed, 
as  were  also  several  other  abortive  attempts. 

In  1868,  the  year  of  the  great  uprising  in  Cuba,  the 
most  formidable  outbreak  occurred  in  Porto  Rico. 

After  two  months  of  severe  fighting  the  Spanish  regu- 
lars were  victorious,  and  the  leader  of  the  rebels,  Dr. 
Ramon  E.  Bentances,  who  has  since  resided  most  of  the 
time  in  Paris,  was  captured,  as  was  also  J.  J.  Henna, 
afterward  a  New  York  physician.  All  the  prisoners  were 
sentenced  to  be  shot,  November  4,  1868. 

On  the  very  day  preceding  that  date  news  came  to 
the  island  that  Queen  Isabella  had  been  deposed, 
and  in  consequence  the  political  prisoners  were 
released. 

But  they  were  afterward  banished,  and  in  their  exile 


26  STRUGGIvES  OF  THE  PAST, 

they  have  ever  since  been  active   in   devising  measures 
for  the  freedom  of  the  island. 

There  is  no  reason  whatever  to  think  that  there  will 
be  any  discontent  in  the  future  under  the  liberal  and 
beneficent  government  of  the  United  States. 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE.  27 


CHAPTER  III. 

TOPOGRAPHY   AND    CLIMATE. 

Now  that  there  is  no  doubt  of  the  acquisition  of 
Porto  Rico  by  the  United  States,  many  of  our  people 
will  be  going  there,  and  it  is  therefore  of  great  interest 
to  note  how  its  general  features  will  please  and  its  cli- 
mate be  adapted  to  Americans. 

The  island  is  most  eastern  of  the  Greater  Antilles, 
and  it  is  the  fourth  in  size  and  importance  of  all  the 
islands  of  the  West  Indies.  In  fact,  in  point  of  density 
of  population  and  general  prosperity,  it  takes  the  first 
place.  On  the  east,  the  Lesser  Antilles  extend  in  a 
curve  toward  Trinidad,  on  the  South  American  coast, 
inclosing  on  the  westward  the  Caribbean  sea.  A  strait 
of  seventy  miles  separates  Porto  Rico  from  Hayti  on  the 
west,  and  the  distances  from  San  Juan,  the  capital,  to 
other  points  are  2,100  miles  to  the  Cape  Verde  Islands, 
1,050  miles  to  Key  West  and  1,420  milea  to  Hampton 
Roads. 

Porto  Rico  lies  near  enough  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to 
receive  the  benefit  of  the  soft  Gulf  breezes  and  the  very 
best  and  most  desirable  of  the  trade  winds. 

The  island  is  almost  a  rectangle  in  shape.  Its  length 
from  east  to  west  is  108  miles  and  its  breadth  from  north 
to  south  about  37  miles.  Its  area,  including  its  de- 
pendencies, the  isles  of  Vieques,  Culebra  and  Mona  is 
3,530  square  miles. 


28  TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE. 

The  coasts  are  generally  regular,  but  there  are  a  large 
number  of  bays  and  inlets,  and  the  north  coast  is  full  of 
navigable  lagoons. 

The  principal  capes  are  San  Juan,  Mala  Pascua,  Rojo 
and  Bruquen. 

Generally  speaking,  the  conformation  of  the  island  is 
slightly  undulating,  with  the  exception  of  a  mountain 
range  which  traverses  it  from  east  to  west,  running 
through  nearly  its  whole  length  in  a  zig-zag  course,  and 
on  the  average  about  twenty-five  miles  distant  from  the 
north  coast.  . 

This  range  divides  the  island  into  two  unequal  por- 
tions. The  largest  is  on  the  north,  and  the  rivers  flow- 
ing through  that  section  are  much  the  longer.  A  part  of 
the  main  range  is  called  Sierra  Grande  or  Barros. 
The  northeast  spur  is  known  as  the  Sierra  de  lyUquillo 
and  the  northwest  as  the  Sierra  Larea.  The  general 
height  of  these  mountains  is  about  1,500  feet  above  the 
sea,  but  there  is  one  peak,  Yuuque,  which  reaches  a 
height  of  3,678  feet.  This  can  be  seen  seventy  miles  at 
sea,  and  would  be  a  magnificent  place  for  a  shore  signal 
for  the  benefit  of  the  ships  that  sail  the  South  Atlantic 
seas. 

It  is  noticeable  that  there  are  no  extensive  lakes  in  the 
highlands  of  the  interior,  but  there  are  many  interest- 
ing caves  in  the  mountains,  the  principal  ones  being 
those  of  Aguas  Buenos  and  Ciales. 

The  elevated  ridge  which  crosses  the  island  intercepts 
the  northeast  trade  winds  which  blow  from  the  Atlantic 
and  deprives  them  of  their  moisture.     The  consequence 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE.  29 

of  this  is  that  the  rainfall  in  the  northern  portion  of  the 
island  is  very  copious.  It  also  has  the  effect  of  reducing 
the  rain  south  of  the  mountains,  so  that  there  is  a 
prevalence  of  droughts  in  that  section  and  agriculture 
can  be  advantageously  carried  on  by  irrigation.  Up  to 
the  present,  however,  this  work  of  irrigation  has  been 
very  imperfect  and  unsystematic,  and  the  results  on  the 
whole  have  not  been  satisfactory. 

The  Luquillo  range  ends  ten  miles  from  San  Juan. 
The  capital  is,  therefore,  to  a  certain  degree  sheltered 
by  a  mountain  wall  from  the  rain-bearing  winds,  which, 
in  the  warmest  months  blow  mainly  from  easterly  points. 
Still  all  the  northern  adjacent  shores  and  lowlands  are 
subject  to  flooding  by  torrents  of  rain. 

Taking  it  as  a  whole,  the  island  is  approximately 
roof-shaped,  so  that  the  rainfall  is  rapidly  drained  off. 

In  the  interior  are  extensive  plains  and  there  are  level 
tracts  from  five  to  ten  miles  wide  on  the  coast. 

The  soil  of  Porto  Rico  is  exceedingly  fertile.  In  the 
mountains  it  is  a  red  clay,  colored  with  peroxide  of  iron, 
ia  the  valleys  it  is  black  and  less  compact,  and  on  the 
coasts  it  is  sandy,  but  capable  of  some  culture. 

The  pasture  lands  in  the  northern  and  eastern  parts 
of  the  island  are  superior  to  any  others  in  the  West 
Indies. 

Porto  Rico  is  essentially  a  land  of  rivers  and  streams. 
Of  course  none  of  them  are  of  any  great  length,  but  of 
the  entire  number,  some  thirteen  hundred,  forty  are 
navigable  for  more  or  less  distances  for  commercial  pur- 
poses. 


30         TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE. 

Mr.  John  Beggs,  a  former  planter  of  Porto  Rico,  says 
that  the  island  is  perfectly  adapted  for  commerce. 
Sugar,  coffee,  cotton,  corn  and  potatoes  are  constantly 
shipped  down  the  navigable  rivers,  and  were  Porto  Rico 
to  be  fully  cultivated,  many  more  streams  could  be 
opened  and  communication  made  between  others  by 
means  of  canals,  so  that  the  entire  island  would  present 
a  system  of  water  ways  which  would  make  it  an  ideal 
place  for  the  shipping  of  useful  articles  to  the  United 
States. 

The  water  of  the  rivers  and  brooks  and  lakes  is  re- 
markably pure,  and  there  is  quite  an  industry  in  its 
shipment  for  sale  to  other  West  India  islands.  It  is 
stated  that  more  than  twenty  of  these  islands  send  to 
Porto  Rico  for  water.  Little  boats  sail  up  the  harbor  of 
San  Juan,  fill  their  tanks  with  water  and  sail  away 
again.  Havana's  chief  scourge  is  the  lack  of  fresh  water, 
but  Porto  Rico  has  all  the  water  it  can  use  and  enough 
to  supply  islands  hundreds  of  miles  awa3\ 

The  anchorages  can  not  be  said  to  be  the  best  in  the 
world,  although  a  few  of  them  are  excellent,  and  most 
of  them  sufficiently  deep  for  ordinary  craft. 

Mayaguez  Bay  on  the  west  coast  admits  vessels  of  any 
size  and  is  the  best  anchorage  on  the  island.  Guanica  is 
the  best  on  the  south  coast,  of  which  it  is  the  most 
western  port.  It  was  here  that  the  American  troops  first 
landed.  Still  Guanica  is  not  visited  by  much  shipping. 
The  district  immediately  surrounding  it  is  low  and 
swamp}',  and  the  roads  leading  from  it  are  not  good. 
Guanica  has  been  the  outlet  for  the  produce  of  San  Ger- 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE.  31 

man  Sabana  Grande  and,  to  some  extent,  of  Yanco, 
which  is  on  the  railroad.  The  western  and  southwestern 
parts  of  the  island  have  been  particularly  over-run  by 
the  Porto  Rican  rebels,  and  this  has  undoubtedly  done 
much  to  injure  its  commerce.  But  with  the  advent  of  the 
A^roericans  all  this  will  be  changed. 

The  eastern  coast  is  fairly  indented  and  washed  by  a 
sea  which  is  usually  smooth. 

On  the  rugged  north  side,  where  the  ocean  currents  set 
to  southward,  there  are  no  good  anchorages  between 
Arecibo  and  San  Juan.  The  port  of  San  Juan,  however, 
affords  good  shelter  and  will  be  an  important  centre  for 
merchant  shipping  as  well  as  an  attractive  rendezvous 
for  yachts  on  a  pleasure  cruise.  The  harbor  is  deep 
enough  to  admit  large  vessels,  but  its  channel  communi- 
cating with  the  sea  is  winding  and  difficult,  and  can  be 
navigated  safely  only  with  the  aid  of  a  pilot. 

One  of  the  leading  seaports  of  the  island  is  Aquadilla 
on  the  west  coast.  This  has  the  advantage  of  a  spacious 
bay,  which  is  sheltered  from  the  trade  winds.  From  this 
place  are  shipped  the  sugar  and  coffee  produced  in  the 
northwest  part  of  the  island. 

There  are  seven  or  eight  ot^er  ports  of  minor  impor- 
tance. 

The  main  highway  of  central  Porto  Rico  runs  from 
Ponce  to  San  Juan,  in  a  northeasterly  direction,  through 
Juana  Diaz,  Coamo  and  Abonito.  From  the  latter  place 
it  proceeds  almost  eastward  to  Cayey,  and  there  it  takes 
a  winding  course  to  the  north  as  far  as  Caquas.  Thence 
it  turns  west    0  Aquas  Buenos,  and   then   goes  straight 


32         TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE. 

north  through  Guaynola  and  Rio  Piedras  to  San  Juan. 
The  entire  length  of  this  highway  is  about  eightj'-five 
miles. 

The  distance  from  Ponce  to  San  Juan,  as  the  bird  flies, 
is  only  forty-five  miles. 

And  now  to  take  up  a  most  important  point — the  cli- 
mate.  Of  this  much  can  be  said  in  favor. 

On  the  whole,  it  may  be  stated  that  Porto  Rico,  for 
a  tropical  region,  is  very  healthful;  in  fact,  by  far  the 
most  so  of  any  of  the  West  India  islands. 

There  have  been  no  climatic  observations  which  cover 
the  whole  of  the  Porto  Rican  territory,  but  the  Spanish 
Weather  Bureau  has  published  certain  observations 
which  show  the  general  conditions  prevailing  in  San 
Juan  and  the  vicinity. 

The  climate,  though  hot,  is  agreeably  tempered  by 
the  prevailing  northeast  winds.  At  night  there  is  always 
a  pleasant  breeze  which  carries  sweet  fragrance  along 
the  northern  coast.  A  temperature  as  high  as  117  de- 
grees has  been  recorded,  but  this  is  most  unusual.  At 
San  Juan,  the  average  temperature  in  August  is  about 
81  degrees  Fahrenheit;  in  September,  80.5  degrees,  and 
in  October,  79.3  degrees.  At  night  it  sinks  to  68  or  69 
degrees,  which  is  more  than  it  frequently  does  in  New 
York  or  Chicago  during  heated  spells.  The  most  marked 
feature  of  the  climate  is  that  the  summer's  heat  and 
rainfall  keep  up  until  late  autumn.  In  the  hottest 
months  the  calm  days  average  not  far  from  ten  a 
month,  and  these  have  a  very  relaxing  effect.  For  this 
reason  it  is  advisable  for  residents  of   temperate   climes 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE.  33 

not  to  visit  Porto  Rico  until  November,  when  the 
weather  becomes  beautifully  fine  and  settled,  and  almost 
always  continues  good  during  the  winter  and  early 
spring. 

The  rainfall  in  San  Juan,  which  can  betaken  as  a  fair 
index  of  that  along  the  northeastern  coast,  averages 
about  6.65  inches  during  August,  5.30  during  Septem- 
ber and  7.10  during  October.  But  in  some  years  the 
heaviest  fall  was  in  September.  Not  infrequently  the 
cultivated  fields  and  plantations  are  inundated,  and 
swamps  are  formed.  As  has  been  intimated,  the  southern 
part  of  the  island  is  relatively  much  drier  than  the 
northern,  though  the  former  is  apt  to  experience  exces- 
sive rains  during  the  passage  of  a  hurricane. 

It  is  fortunate  for  Porto  Rico  that  it  does  not  lie 
directly  in  the  track  of  West  Indian  cyclones.  It  has 
been  visited,  however,  at  long  intervals  by  devastating 
hurricanes,  notably  those  of  1742  and  1825,  which  de- 
stroyed a  vast  deal  of  property,  and  during  the  passage 
of  which  many  lives  were  lost.  The  terrible  tornadoes 
of  the  tropics  are  very  erratic  in  their  course,  and  are  so 
apt  to  be  deviated  from  their  accustomed  paths  that  it 
is  unsafe  to  assume  that  danger  has  passed  for  Porto 
Rico  until  late  in  the  autumn.  Captains  of  all  vessels 
during  the  summer  months  should  therefore  exercise  ex- 
traordinary vigilance  to  avoid  being  caught  in  a  hurri- 
cane. 

The  prevailing  diseases  of  the  island  are  yellow  fever, 
elephantiasis,  tetanus,  March  fever  and  dysentery. 
There  is  no  question  but  that  a  lack   of   proper  sanitary 


34         TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE. 

measures  is  responsible  for  much  of  the  illness.  Even 
the  most  to  be  dreaded  of  these  diseases,  yellow  fever, 
could  in  all  probability  be  rooted  out  if  proper  precau- 
tions were  taken  and  every  available  means  employed  to 
prevent  its  recurrence.  As  it  is,  yellow  fever  never 
scourges  Porto  Rico  as  it  does  parts  of  Cuba. 

In  the  winter  and  early  spring  Porto  Rico  is  less  sub- 
ject than  Cuba  to  those  chilling  winds  that  blow  from 
the  freezing  anticyclones  moving  east  from  the  Ameri- 
can coast  toward  Bermuda.  Under  American  auspices 
and  enlightened  systems  of  sanitation,  there  will  doubt- 
less spring  up  a  number  of  attractive  winter  resorts, 
which  will  prove  formidable  rivals  to  those  of  Florida, 
especially  if,  as  is  not  unlikely,  San  Juan  Bay  becomes 
the  headquarters  of  the  North  Atlantic  naval  station 
from  November  until  April. 

In  this  regard,  the  manager  of  a  prominent  life  insur- 
ance company  has  spoken  as  follows: 

* '  Let  me  raise  my  voice  in  prophecy  and  then  wait 
and  see  if  events  do  not  bear  me  out.  I  want  to  prophesy 
right  now  that  five  years  from  date  that  island  will  be 
a  great  popular  winter  resort.  No  one  can  appreciate  its 
natural  attractions  unless  he  has  been  there,  and  when 
to  them  have  been  added  a  few  good  American  hotels  it 
is  bound  to  become  a  popular  resort. 

I  was  in  Porto  Rico  several  years  ago,  and  I 
then  expressed  surprise  that  it  was  not  boomed  as  a 
winter  resort.  The  Porto  Ricans  to  whom  I  spoke 
shrugged  their  shoulders  and  smiled.  The  ground  is 
high,  the  climate  is  fine,  and  the  place  is  healthful. 


TOPOGRAPHY  AND  CLIMATE.  35 

It  has  many  attractions  of  its  own  that  are  lacking 
in  the  other  West  Indies, 

Close  on  the  heels  of  the  army  will  march  some  en- 
terprising American  hotel  man,  and  then  look  out  for 
results." 


36  POPULATION  AND   TOWNS. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

POPULATION   AND   TOWNS. 

Accordiug  to  the  latest  statistics,  the  entire  popula- 
tion of  the  island  of  Porto  Rico  is  estimated  at  900,000. 
Of  these  about  140,000  are  peninsulares^  as  the  natives 
of  Spain  have  been  termed  throughout  her  former  col- 
onies. From  12,000  to  14,000  are  foreigners,  mostly 
Frenchmen,  Germans,  Italians,  Englishmen  and  Ameri- 
cans. Other  nationalities  have  little  or  no  representation. 
The  so-called  native  population  is  composed  of  two- 
chirds  whites  who  are  descendants  of  Spaniards  and 
people  of  other  European  countries,  and  one-third 
negroes  and  mulattoes  or  those  of  mixed  blood,  half 
castes,  as  thej'  are  denominated. 

It  is  valuable  to  note  the  large  proportion  of  whites, 
which  is  very  unusual  for  a  tropical  country. 

The  census,  which  was  taken  December  31,  1887, 
states  that  the  women  outnumbered  the  men  by  about 
one  thousand.  As  the  immigrants  from  Spain  are  mostly 
men,  however,  the  actual  ratio  between  the  two  sexes, 
as  far  as  the  native  populacion  is  concerned,  would  be 
greatly  in  favor  of  the  feminine. 

The  area  of  Cuba  is  thirteen  times  larger  than  that  of 
Porto  Rico,  and  yet  even  before  the  butcher  Weyler  ex- 
terminated a  third  of  the  native  Cubans,  it  contained 
not  quite  double  as  many  people  as  the  smaller  island. 


POPULATION  AND  TOWNS.  37 

This  will  give  some  idea  of  the  density  of  the  popula- 
tion of  Porto  Rico. 

Thirt}'  per  cent,  of  the  whites  and  seventy-five  per 
cent,  of  the  negfoes  were  classed  in  the  census  of  1887 
as  laborers. 

The  western  part  of  the  island  is  far  more  densely 
populated  than  the  eastern.  The  reason  for  this  proba- 
bly lies  in  the  fact  that  the  east  coast  is  on  the  wind- 
ward side,  and  offers  less  protection  for  shipping.  Con- 
sequently it  is  not  so  conveniently  situated  for  trade. 
All  the  larger  towns  of  the  east  are  situated  inland,  or, 
at  least,  some  distance  from  the  coast.  They  are  in  the 
hilly  portion  of  the  island  and  surrounded  by  rich  coffee 
plantations  and  grazing  lands  of  large  extent. 

The  inhabitants  of  Porto  Rico  are  scattered  all  over  the 
country,  and  the  land  is  greatly  subdivided.  The  Span- 
ish authorities  have  made  many  efforts  to  collect  the 
people  into  villages,  but  the  people  themselves  have 
frequently  resisted  a  change  which  the)'  considered 
would  not  suit  the  conditions  of  their  lives  or  tend  to 
improve  their  finances. 

Still,  in  the  last  fifty  years  more  than  half  of  the 
population  has  gravitated  to  and  around  the  towns, 
especially  those  which  are  situated  on  the  seashore. 
Most  of  these  people  live  in  comfortable  houses,  and 
have  the  means  to  provide  themselves  with  all  the 
necessities  and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  life. 

The  population,  by  the  way,  has  been  steadily  in- 
creasing since  the  beginning  of  the  present  century. 

Ponce,  named  after  Ponce  de  Leon,  is  the  largest  city 


38  POPULATION    AND  TOWNS. 

and  the  one  of  the  most  commercial  importance  upon  the 
island.  It  is  beautifully  situated  about  three  miles  north 
of  the  port  of  Ponce,  in  a  fertile  plain,  and  is  sur- 
rounded by  plantations  and  gardens.  It  is  the  ter- 
minus of  one  of  the  three  short  railroads  which  have 
been  constructed,  and  along  the  beach  in  front  of  the 
port  are  large  warehouses,  where  the  produce,  forwarded 
through  Ponce,  which  is  the  trading  centre,  is  stored 
for  shipment.  The  population  of  Ponce  has  been  esti- 
mated at  44,500  inhabitants,  and  this  is  probably  not 
far  from  the  actual  truth. 

Ponce  has  quite  a  number  of  fine  buildings,  including 
the  town  hall,  the  theatre,  two  churches,  the  charity  and 
the  woman's  asylums,  the  barracks,  the  Cuban  House 
and  the  market.  Between  the  city  and  the  seashore  is  an 
excellent  road  which  forms  a  beautiful  promenade. 

Near  Ponce  are  hot  springs  which  are  quite  famous 
and  held  in  high  estimation  by  invalids. 

The  capital  of  Porto  Rico  is  San  Juan,  which  in  many 
respects  has  always  been  the  most  important  cit3^  It  is 
on  the  north  coast,  and  as  has  already  been  stated,  was 
founded  by  Ponce  de  Leon  in  15 10.  It  now  has  a  popu- 
lation of  31,250  inhabitants,  which  includes  the  town 
and  its  suburbs. 

The  situation  of  San  Juan  is  somewhat  peculiar,  as  it 
is  built  on  a  high  and  narrow  peninsula,  which  is  sepa- 
rated from  the  mainland  by  shallow  water  spanned  by 
a  bridge  known  as  the  San  Antonio. 

The  town  is  about  half  a  mile  wide,  inclosed  by  high 
walls  of  masonry,  which  are  very  picturesque,  and  with 


POPULATION   AND  TOWNS.  39 

their  portcullis  gates  and  battlements  recall  vividly  to 
one's  mind  the  description  of  mediaeval  times. 

The  bluff  is  crowned  by  Morro  Castle,  rendered 
familiar  to  Americans  in  the  recent  war. 

San  Juan  is  really  quite  a  beautiful  place  with  straight 
and  narrow  streets  and  many  imposing  buildings.  It  has 
a  number  of  public  institutions  and  colleges,  several 
churches,  and  seven  small  parks.  Among  the  latter  may 
be  mentioned  the  Plazuela  de  Santiago,  in  which  is  an 
excellent  statue  of  Columbus. 

It  was  on  the  western  end  of  the  island  that  Ponce  de 
Leon  built  the  governor's  palace,  which  is  enclosed 
within  the  vSauta  Catalina  fortifications,  where  are  also 
the  cathedral,  town  house  and  theatre.  This  portion  of 
the  city  is  now  known  as  Pueblo  Viego,  and  is  the  seat 
of  an  Episcopal  see,  which  is  subordinate  to  the  bishop 
of  Santiago  de  Cuba. 

The  city  is  lighted  b)''  gas,  which  is  controlled  by  an 
English  company,  and  it  also  has  an  electric  plant 
under  local  management. 

There  is  a  local  telephone  company. 

There  are  eleven  newspapers  of  various  descriptions, 
the  chief  one  being  La  Correspondencia,  a  local  political 
paper,  which  has  a  circulation  of  seven  thousand  copies, 
more  than  that  of  all  the  other  papers  put  together. 

The  water  is  obtained  entirely  from  cisterns.  About 
fifty  years  ago  a  project  was  formed  to  build  a  reservoir, 
and  the  plans  were  approved  by  the  government.  But, 
with  that  spirit  of  procrastination  so  characteristic  of 
the  Spanish,  in  all  public  and  private  walks  of  life,  and 


40  POPULATION  AND    TOWNS. 

which  is  known  as  manana,  the  reservoir  has  never  been 
completed. 

The  harbor  of  San  Juan  is  in  almost  all  respects  a 
very  fine  one.  On  the  east  and  south  it  is  surrounded 
by  swamps,  and  on  the  west  it  is  protected  by  the 
islands  of  Cabra  and  Cabrita,  which  are  practically  con- 
nected to  the  mainland  by  sandbars.  There  are  strong 
fortifications  which  guard  the  entrance  to  the  outer 
harbor. 

The  inner  harbor  is  spacious  and  landlocked.  It  has 
been  dredged  to  a  uniform  depth  of  twenty-nine  feet 
from  the  docks  to  the  anchorage. 

The  old  city  is  divided  into  four  wards,  three  of  which 
are  outside  of  the  fortifications.  The  houses  are  of  stone, 
or  brick,  and  from  the  roofs  beautiful  sea  views  may  be 
obtained.  In  the  patio  or  court  of  almost  every  house 
there  is  a  garden. 

Besides  Ponce  and  San  Juan,  the  largest  towns  on  the 
island  are  Arecibo  (30,000  inhabitants),  Utuado 
(31,000),  Mauaguez  (28,000),  San  German  (20,000) 
Yanco  (25,000),  and  Juana  Diaz  (21,000).  There  are 
also  about  a  dozen  other  towns  with  a  population  of  15,- 
000  or  over. 

These  figures  are  only  approximate,  as  no  regular  cen- 
sus has  been  taken  in  ten  years,  and  even  then  the  Span- 
ish ofiicials  were  none  too  correct. 

Railways  on  the  island  can  as  yet  be  said  to  be  only 
in  their  infancy.  There  is  only  about  150  miles  of  rail- 
road, with  about  as  much  more  in  construction.  It  is 
intended  to  have  stretches  of  railroad  parallel   with   the 


POPULATION  AND   TOWNS.  41 

coast,  which  shall  make  the  entire  circuit  of  the  island. 
From  these  there  will  be  short  branches  to  all  the  sea- 
ports and  inland  markets. 

The  cart  roads  are  very  primitive,  some  of  them  being 
little  better  than  cattle  tracks.  There  is,  however,  be 
it  remembered,  one  fine  road,  which  extends  across  the 
island  from  San  Juan  to  Ponce. 

The  telegraph  system  is  also  in  a  very  incomplete 
state  and  is  poorly  managed. 

There  is  one  line  of  cable  which  runs  to  Cuba, 
Mexico,  Panama  and  the  coasts  of  the  South  American 
continent,  and  another  which  connects  the  island  with 
St.  Thomas,  Jamaica,  and  thus  the  rest  of  the  world. 


42  RESOURCES, 


CHAPTER  V. 

RESOURCES. 

It  is  somewhat  difficult  to  tell  exactly  what  is  the 
commercial  value  of  the  new  colonial  possessions  which 
the  Spanish-American  war  has  placed  at  the  disposal  of 
the  United  States.  The  figures  are  naturally  based  upon 
the  conditions  which  prevailed  under  Spanish  rule. 

But,  all  for  all,  it  may  be  said  that  Porto  Rico,  taking 
into  consideration  its  area,  has  been  the  most  valuable 
of  all  Spain's  colonial  possessions. 

For  some  reason,  which  seems  to  be  inscrutable, 
Spain  has  given  the  inhabitants  of  Porto  Rico  far  better 
treatment  than  she  accorded  to  the  natives  of  Cuba.  She 
dealt  with  the  island  more  as  if  it  were  a  Spanish 
province  than  a  colony  to  be  bled  to  the  fullest  extent 
possible  for  the  financial  benefit  of  Spanish  officials  and 
the  mother  country.  Quite  the  contrary  has  been  the 
case  in  Cuba  and  the  Philippines. 

It  may  be  stated  that,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  Porto  Rico 
has  been,  in  a  political  sense,  a  province  of  Spain  for 
the  past  twenty  years. 

Spain  has  paid  but  little  attention  to  internal  im- 
provements, but  this  has  been  an  advantage.  For  with 
her  heav}'  hand  relaxed,  the  people  have  had  a  certain 
opportunity  to  develop  such  spirit  of  enterprise  as  they 
possessed. 

Porto  Rico,  in  proportion   to  its  size,    is  immensely 


RESOURCES.  43 

wealthy.  It  is  very  doubtful  if  the  Philippines  can 
equal  it  in  richness,  square  foot  for  square  foot. 

With  the  island  in  the  possession  of  the  United  States 
and  with  the  abolishment  of  the  differential  duties  in  favor 
of  the  Spanish  government,  its  geographical  position  will 
undoubtedly  cause  most  of  its  commerce  to  flow  to  and 
from  the  ports  of  the  United  States. 

There  will  be  a  market  furnished  for  great  quantities 
of  food  products,  textile  fabrics,  iron,  steel  and  coal. 
From  the  island  the  United  States  will  chiefly  receive 
coffee,  tobacco  and  sugar.  Indeed  it  may  be  said  that  in 
the  line  of  coffee  cultivation,  the  greatest  development 
of  Porto  Rico  may  be  expected  in  the  near  future. 

Mr.  John  Beggs,  whom  we  have  quoted  before,  says 
that  Porto  Rico  is  one  of  the  finest  pieces  of  property 
on  the  earth's  surface.  May  it  prove  so  in  the  hands 
of  the  United  States ! 

The  soil  of  Porto  Rico  is  of  remarkable  fertility.  Its 
dominant  industries  may  be  said  to  be  agriculture  and 
lumbering. 

In  the  elevated  regions,  most  of  the  vegetable  produc- 
tions of  the  temperate  zone  can  be  grown. 

More  than  five  hundred  varieties  of  trees  can  be  found 
in  the  forests  of  the  island,  many  of  which  are  very 
valuable,  and  the  plains  are  full  of  palms,  oranges  and 
other  fruit-bearing  trees.  There  are  several  very  inter- 
esting trees,  especially  a  beautiful  Talauvia,  with  im- 
mense white  odorous  flowers  and  silvery  leaves.  This 
tree  is  exceedingly  ornamental.  It  is  used  for  lumber 
and   called    Sabino.     A  Kirttlla  with  crimson  flowers  is 


44  RESOURCES. 

also  rather  common.  A  tree  which  is  called  Ortegon  by 
the  natives  is  found  at  high  altitudes,  but  chiefly  near 
the  coast.  It  has  immense  purple  spikes,  more  than  a 
yard  long,  and  is  very  striking.  It  seeiris  to  be  confined 
to  Porto  Rico  and  Hayti.  There  are  man}'  varieties  of 
cabinet  and  dye  woods,  including  mahogany,  ebony, 
lignum  vitae,  cedar  and  logwood.  Plants  valuable  in 
the  arts  and  pharmacy  abound.  Tropical  fruits  grow 
everywhere  to  perfection. 

The  chief  products  of  Porto  Rico,  outside  of  lumber, 
may  be  said  to  be  sugar,  coffee,  tobacco,  rice,  honey 
and  wax,  and  these  have  greatly  enriched  the  island, 
making  many  of  the  people  well-to-do. 

Sugarcane  is  cultivated  on  the  fertile  plains,  yielding 
three  hogsheads  on  an  average  per  acre  without  any 
manure. 

An  excellent  grade  of  coffee  is  produced,  and  it  does 
not  appear  that  as  yet  any  blight  has  perceptibly  affected 
the  shrubs. 

Rice  is  very  commonly  cultivated  on  the  hills  in  the 
Sierra.  It  must  be  a  kind  of  mountain  variety,  as  no 
inundation  or  other  kind  of  watering  is  used. 

Rice  and  plaintain  are  in  fact  the  staple  food  of  the 
natives. 

Cotton  and  maize  are  also  raised  to  a  certain  extent. 

There  should  in  the  future  be  an  industry  from  the 
manufacture  of  tannin  extracts  from  the  bark  of  Cocco- 
lala,  Rhizophora  and  the  pods  of  various  acacias,  the 
latter  of  which  are  a  great  nuisance  on  account  of  their 
rapid  growth. 


RESOURCES.  45 

There  are  a  long  number  of  fruits  on  the  island,  such 
as  cherries,  guava  plums,  juicy  mangoes  and  bell  apples. 

Edwin  Emerson,  Jr.,  a  war  correspondent,  speaks  of 
some  of  the  fruits  as  follows: 

"The  most  astonishing  and  the  best  of  all  was  a  fruit 
called  pulmo — in  our  language,  sour-sap.  It  is  about  as 
large  as  a  quart  bowl,  and  so  nourishing  and  full  that  a 
single  fruit  was  enough  for  a  good  meal,  although  that 
did  not  deter  my  horse  from  eating  four.  Later  I  found 
that  they  are  also  relished  by  dogs.  Of  springs  and 
streams  there  were  so  many  that  I  had  no  fear  of  dying 
of  thirst.  If  water  was  not  hand}',  I  could  always  climb 
a  cocoanut  tree  and  throw  down  the  green  nuts,  which 
were  filled  with  an  abundance  of  watery  milk,  more 
than  I  could  drink  at  one  time.  Other  nuts  there  were 
in  plenty ;  but  many  were  more  curious  than  edible, 
even  to  my  willing  appetite.  One  had  a  delicious  odor. 
I  tasted  a  little,  and  thought  it  ideal  for  flavoring  candy. 
But  it  soon  dissolved  in  my  mouth  in  a  fine  dust,  ab- 
sorbing all  the  moisture,  so  that  I  had  to  blow  it  out 
like  flour.  Nothing  ever  made  me  so  thirsty  in  my  life, 
and  even  after  rinsing  out  my  mouth  I  felt  for  a  long 
time  as  if  I  were  chewing  punk  or  cotton.  The  fruit  of 
the  tamarind  only  added  to  my  torments  by  setting  all 
my  teeth  on  edge.  When  we  reached  the  next  spring  I 
fell  off  my  horse  for  fear  he  would  get  all  the  water. 
Only  after  I  had  satisfied  my  thirst  would  I  let  him 
drink." 

The  poverty  of  the  fauna  and  flora  is  remarkable, 
there  being  scarcely  any  wild   animals,  birds  or  flowers . 


46  RESOURCES. 

There  is  a  great  deficiency  of  what  may  be  called 
native  animals  of  any  sort. 

The  most  troublesome  quadruped  is  the  wild  dog, 
which  chiefly  attack  pigs  and  other  small  domestic  ani- 
mals. Mice  are  probably  the  greatest  pest  of  the  island, 
but  they  are  considerably  kept  down  by  their  natural 
enemies,  the  snakes.  The  latter  not  infrequently  reach 
a  length  of  from  six  to  nine  feet.  There  are  a  good 
many  mosquitoes,  but  they  are  no  worse  than  they  are 
in  New  Jersey.  Numerous  species  of  ants  and  bees  exist 
as  well  as  fireflies.  The  latter  occasionally  fly  in  great 
masses,  producing  beautiful  effects  in  the  tropical  nights. 

It  may  be  stated  that,  on  the  whole,  Porto  Rico  is 
singularly  free  from  those  noxious  reptiles  and  insects 
which  seem  to  inherit  the  rest  of  the  West  Indies  as 
their  peculiar  possession. 

Immense  pastures  occupy  a  part  of  the  lowland,  and 
feed  large  herds  of  cattle  of  an  excellent  quality.  St. 
Thomas  and  the  French  ivSlands  all  obtain  their  butcher's 
meat  from  Porto  Rico.  Even  Barbadoes  comes  there  for 
cattle.  Sheep  always  thrive  in  a  hot  country,  and  they 
grow  big  and  fat  in  Porto  Rico.  Fresh  lamb  and  mut- 
ton are  constantly  shipped  from  there.  A  very  numerous 
class  of  the  people  are  shepherds,  and  these  live  upon 
mutton  and  the  kind  of  highland  rice,  already  alluded 
to,  which  is  very  easily  prepared  for  food. 

Poultry  is  most  abundant,  and  the  seas  and  rivers  are 
full  of  the  finest  fish. 

Agriculture  has  hitherto  been  almost  exclusively  in 
the  hands  of  the  natives,  but  most   of   the   business  and 


RESOURCES.  47 

commerce  have  been  controlled  by  foreigners  and  Span- 
iards from  the  Peninsula. 

Although  the  island  is  certainly  well  developed  agri- 
culturally, it  certainly  admits  of  considerable  expansion 
in  this  direction.  Under  a  different  political  system,  and 
when  it  is  freed  from  the  oppressive  and  vexatious  taxa- 
tion, Porto  Rico  will  certainly  become  far  more  produc- 
tive and  prosperous  even  than  it  is  now. 

There  is  no  question  but  that  the  island,  richly  en- 
dowed as  it  is  by  Nature,  has  been  miserably  governed. 

But  agriculture  in  the  near  future  will  certainly  not 
be  the  main  industry  of  the  island.  For  there  are  knonn 
to  be  gold,  copper,  iron,  zinc  and  coal  mines,  which 
have  never  been  developed.  In  fact,  strange  as  it  may 
appear,  none  of  these  valuable  mines  is  worked  at  all. 
The  vegetable  productions  have  been  considered  so 
valuable  that  in  order  to  cultivate  them  the  minerals 
have  been  neglected.  There  are  also  extensive  sponge 
fields,  which  are  very  valuable,  but  which  have  not  been 
touched,  owing  to  several  causes,  chiefly  the  lack  of 
capital.  The  same  can  also  be  said  of  the  quarries  of 
white  stone,  granite  and  marble. 

Then  there  is  the  question  of  salt,  which  is  sure  to  be 
of  importance.  There  are  large  quantities  of  salt  ob- 
tained from  the  lakes.  Salt  works  have  been  established 
at  Guanica  and  Salinas,  on  the  south  coast,  and  at  Cape 
Rojo,  on  the  west.  This  constitutes  the  principal  min- 
eral industry  of  Porto  Rico. 

Hot  springs  and  mineral  waters  are  found  at  Juan 
Diaz,  San  Sebastian,  San  Lorenzo  and   Ponce,    but    the 


48  RESOURCES. 

most  famous  are  at  Coamo,  near  the  town  of  Santa  Isa- 
bella. 

It  is  now  interesting  to  see  what  the  trade  of  Porto 
Rico  has  been  with  other  countries,  and  especially  the 
United  States  during  recent  years. 

A  very  large  part  of  the  island's  trade  has  been  car- 
ried on  with  the  United  States,  where  corn,  flour,  salt- 
meat,  fish  and  lumber  have  been  imported  in  return  for 
sugar,  molasses  and  coffee. 

The  natives  are  not  a  sea  faring  people,  and  care  little 
or  nothing  for  ships  of  their  own.  Therefore,  by  far  the 
larger  part  of  their  trade  with  other  countries  has  been 
carried  on  by  the  means  of  foreign  ships. 

Porto  Rico  has  paid  into  the  Spanish  treasury  about 
4,000,000  pesos  annually,  which  is  equivalent  to  about 
$800,000. 

In  normal  years,  that  is,  when  no  war  was  going  on, 
the  total  value  of  imports  into  the  island  amounted  to 
about  $8,000,000,  and  the  exports  to  about  $16,000,000. 

The  latest  Spanish  statistics,  that  is,  during  1896, 
give  the  importations  into  Porto  Rico  as  amounting  to 
$18,945,793,  and  the  exports  to  $17,295,535- 

The  average  entrances  of  ships  into  the  ports  have 
been  1919  vessels  of  an  aggregate  of  327,941  tons,  of 
which  544  of  81,966  tons  were  British.  Articles  of  im- 
port have  been  distributed  by  countries  as  follows: 

From  Spain  come  wines,  rice,  oils,  flour  and  textiles; 
from  England,  machinery,  textiles,  salted  provisions, 
rice  and  coal ;  from  France,  a  small  amount  of  textiles, 
some  jewelry  and  perfumery,  and   some   fine  wines   and 


i 


RESOURCES.  49 

liquors;  from  Italy,  wines,  vermicelli  and  rice;  from 
Germany,  glass  and  porcelain  wares,  textiles,  paper, 
cheese,  candied  fruits,  beer  and  liquors;  from  Holland, 
cheese;  from  Cuba,  rum,  sugar  and  tobacco;  from  the 
United  States,  petroleum,  ironware,  glassware,  chemi- 
cals, textiles,  paper,  lumber,  barrels,  machinery,  car- 
riages, dried  and  salted  meats,  butter,  grease,  codfish, 
flour,  coal,  fruits,  vermicelli  and  cheese. 

A  commercial  arrangement  was  entered  into  between 
the  United  States  and  Spain  in  1895,  in  consequence  of 
which  the  following  proclamation  was  issued  by  the 
Spanish  Government: 

PROCI.AMATION: 

The  executive  is  authorized  to  apply  to  the  products 
and  manufactures  of  the  United  States  which  coming 
from  the  ports  of  the  United  States  be  admitted  into 
the  ports  of  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico,  the  benefits  of  the 
second  column  of  the  tariffs  in  said  islands ;  provided 
that  the  United  States,  in  their  turn  apply  their  lowest 
rates  of  duty  to  the  products  of  the  soil  and  of  the  in- 
dustry of  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico. 

This  modus  vivendi  shall  be  in  force  until  a  perma- 
nent commercial  treaty  between  the  two  parties  con- 
cerned is  concluded,  or  until  one  of  them  gives  notice 
to  the  other,  three  months  in  advance  of  the  day  on 
which  it  wishes  to  put  an  end  of  it. 

Therefore,  I  command  all  the  courts,  justices,  chiefs, 
governors  and  other  authorities,  civil,  military  and 
ecclesiastical,  of  all   classes  and   dignities,    to  observe 


so  E.ESOURCBS. 

and  cause  to  be  observed,  obeyed  and  executed  this  pres- 
ent law  in  all  its  parts.  Given  in  the  palace,  February  4, 
1895.  I,  the  Queen  Regent. 

Alejandro  Groizard,  Secretary  of  State. 

The  above  is  translated  from  the  Gaceta  de  Madrid  of 
February  6,  1895. 

This  agreement,  if  so  it  can  be  called,  is  of  course 
now  at  an  end.  Hereafter  Porto  Rico  will  enjoy  all  the 
privileges  of  a  colony  of  the  United  States. 

But  still  it  is  interesting  to  note  the  duty  on  the  lead- 
ing articles  of  export  from  the  United  States  to  Porto 
Rico,  as  expressed  in  the  second  column  of  the  Spanish 
tariff. 

This  was  as  follows: 

Wheat    flour,    rice  flour,  buckwheat  flour,  corn- 
meal,    oatmeal,    barleymeal,    ryemeal,  per  100 

kilograms,  gross, .  $4  00 

Pork,  per  100  kilograms,  net 9  90 

Beef  and  all  other  meats,  per  100  kilograms,  net  .  6  50 

Sausage,  per  100  kilograms,  gross 20 

Hay,  per  100  kilograms,  gross 80 

Pig  iron,  per  100  kilograms,  net 50 

Bar  iron,  per  100  kilograms,   net 215 

Barb  wire  (for  fencing),  per  100  kilograms,  net  .  40 

Coal,   per  100  kilograms,    net 60 

Patent  medicines,  including  weight  of  container 

and  wrapper 35 

One  hundred  kilograms  amounts  to  something  over  j 
two  hundred  pounds. 


RESOURCES.  51 

The  people  on  the  island  are  rather  luxurious,  so 
much  so  that  in  one  year  five  million  dollars  worth  of 
goods  were  carried  there.  These  goods  consisted  prin- 
cipally of  manufactured  products,  such  as  clothing  and 
household  wares. 

The  principal  exports  from  the  United  States  have 
been  flour,  pork,  lard,  lumber  and  shocks. 

But,  of  course,  all  this  will  be  largely  increased  now 
that  Porto  Rico  is  practically  a  portion  of  the  United 
States,  and  the  increased  commerce  will  be  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  both. 

During  the  five  years  from  1893  to  1897,  the  trade  of 
Porto  Rico  with  the  United  States  has  been  as  follows: 

Imports 
Exports  to  from 

United  United 

States:  States: 

1893 o     .     .  $4,008,623         $2,510,007 

1894  ........     3,135.634  2,720,508 

1895  ........     1,506,512  1,833,544 

1896  .,..=...     2,296,653  2,102,094 

1897 2,181,024  1,988,888 

Whatever  disadvantages  Porto  Rico  may  possess,   and 

when  all  is  said  and  done,  they  are  beyond  question  few, 
it  is  certainly  lovely  enough  and  prolific  enough  to 
make  one  forget  them  all. 

A  writer  in  Ainslee's  Magazine  concludes  his  very 
clever  article  as  follows,  and  undoubtedly  ever}''  word  he 
says  is  tnie : 

"Unfortunately  for  the  development  of  Spanish  coun- 


52  RESOURCESo 

tries  the  mental  activity  of  the  people  is  principally 
manifested  in  an  exuberant  imagination  which  finds  ex- 
pression in  superlative  and  poetical  language.  If  there 
were  any  corresponding  creative  genius  and  executive 
ability  in  material  affairs  such  a  fertile  and  well-watered 
land  as  Puerto  Rico  would  be  the  home  of  one  of  the 
richest  communities  on  the  globe.  By  her  situation  she 
is  adapted  to  become  the  centre  of  a  flourishing  com- 
merce whose  goods  might  be  carried  down  dozens  of 
navigable  rivers  from  the  interior  of  the  island.  Under 
a  good  government,  with  enterprising  colonists,  the 
natural  resources  of  the  island,  some  of  which  have  been 
scarcely  touched,  would  bring  comfort  and  wealth  to  a 
large  population. 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMSo  53 


CHAPTER  VI. 

MANNKRS   AND   CUSTOMS. 

Let  US  examine  briefly  in  the  first  place  what  has 
been  the  management  of  Porto  Rico  under  Spanish  rule, 
or,  rather,  perhaps  we  should  call  it  mismanagement, 
for  no  one  of  Spain's  colonies  has  ever  been  properly 
directed. 

Porto  Rico  has  been  governed  under  a  constitution 
voted  by  the  Spanish  Cortes  in  1869.  The  government 
has  been  administered  by  a  captain-general,  assisted  by 
an  administrative  council  appointed  at  Madrid. 

The  revenue  has  been  about  four  millions  of  dollars  a 
year,  considerably  more  than  half  of  which  has  been  de- 
rived from  customs,  and  the  rest  from  taxation,  direct 
and  indirect. 

The  captain-general  was  president  of  the  superior  tri- 
bunals of  justice  and  of  the  superior  juntas  of  the  capi- 
tal ;  but  the  fiscal  administration  had  a  special  chief 
called  intendant.  The  supreme  judicial  power  lay  in  a 
royal  audience.  Justice  was  administered  in  the  cities 
and  in  the  country  by  judges  of  the  first  instance  and  by 
alcaldes.  There  were  nine  special  tribunals:  civil, 
ecclesiastical,  war,  marine,  artillery,  engineers,  admin- 
istration, probate  and  commerce. 

Ecclesiastical  affairs  were  presided  over  by  a  bishop 
chosen  by  the  crown  and  approved  by  the  pope. 

For  administrative  purposes  the  island  and  its  depen- 


54  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

dencies  were  divided  into  nine  districts:  Porto  Rico, 
Bayamon,  Arecibo,  Aquadilla,  Mayaguez,  Ponce, 
Humacoa,  Guayama  and  Vieques. 

The  Spanish  administration  in  Porto  Rico,  although 
not  so  bad  as  in  other  colonies,  has,  nevertheless,  been 
one  of  cruelty  and  oppression.  The  Spaniards,  as  will 
be  remembered,  began  by  exterminating  the  native  In- 
dian population  in  less  than  a  century. 

There  was  not  a  branch  of  the  administration  which 
was  not  conducted  under  a  system  of  corruption.  The 
law  was  constantly  violated  by  the  Spaniards,  and  the 
natives  deprived  of  their  rights. 

When  elections  took  place  the  Spanish  or  Conservative 
party  always  won,  and  this  in  spite  of  the  fact  that  this 
party  was  in  a  large  minorit}'.  No  more  corrupt  and 
farcical  elections  have  even  been  known  to  take 
place. 

Such  a  thing  as  liberty  of  the  press  was  utterly  un- 
known. Articles  that  had  been  printed  in  the  Madrid 
or  other  Spanish  papers  attacking  the  government  could 
not  be  reproduced  in  any  Porto  Rican  papers,  without 
the  editors  being  arrested  and  punished.  And  this 
occurred  even  if  the  article  in  question  had  not  been 
considered  as  offering  ground  for  the  prosecution  by  the 
authorities  in  Spain. 

The  papers,  by  the  way,  were  ridiculously  inadequate 
in  every  sense  of  the  word.  Only  one  attempt  was  ever 
made  to  establish  a  magazine.  This  was  about  eleven 
years  ago.  It  was  called  the  Revista  Puertorriquena 
and  was  intended  ' '  to  carry  the   highest  expression   of 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  55 

our  intellectual  culture  to  all  the  people  of  Europe  and 
America  where  the  magnificent  Castilian  language  is 
spoken." 

The  magazine  was  conducted  by  a  committee  com- 
posed of  a  director,  two  editors,  "and  other  illustrious 
persons"  elected  by  the  subscribers.  The  founder  of  the 
magazine  lamented  that  the  "race  of  artists"  who  first 
settled  in  Puerto  Rico  ' '  were  so  overwhelmed  by  the 
exuberant  and  pompous  beauty  of  the  tropics  that  the 
natural  means  of  artistic  expression  were  exaggerated 
to  the  detriment  of  ideas,"  and  that  the  crying  evil  of 
the  periodical  press  of  the  island  was  '  'the  abundance  of 
sonorous  and  high-sounding  articles  having  nothing  to 
say  to  the  understanding." 

The  founder  of  the  magazine  was  Don  Manuel  Juncos, 
who  is  the  author  of  several  books  of  travel.  He  speaks 
of  the  Brooklyn  bridge  as  "a  magic  vision  of  the  Thou- 
sand and  One  Nights,"  while  the  smoke  that  rose  from 
myriads  of  New  York  chimneys  "formed  the  holy  and 
blessed  incense  of  a  mighty  and  busy  population,  rising 
directly  up  to  God  from  the  fecund  altar  of  labor."  In 
the  streets  he  was  amazed  at  the  ' '  incessant  avalanche 
of  men,  all  having  the  purpose  of  certain  or  probable 
utility." 

No  more  than  nineteen  persons,  under  the  old  regime, 
were  allowed  to  meet  in  any  place  of  the  island,  without 
special  permission  from  the  government,  and  the  ma5'or 
of  the  town  was  obliged  to  attend  the  meetings  to  see 
that  nothing  was  said  or  done  against  '  'the  integrity  of 
the  nation. ' ' 


56  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

Licenses  were  required  for  everything,  even  for  an 
ordinary  dancing  party. 

The  manner  of  life  in  the  large  towns  of  Porto  Rico 
is  not  dissimilar  from  that  of  European  countries,  with 
the  exception  of  some  slight  differences  due  to  the  heat 
of  the  climate.  The  fashions  for  men  and  women  alike 
are  imported,  especially  from  Paris  and  London.  Those 
who  are  in  comfortable  circumstances  dress  just  like 
people  in  European  countries.  The  men  wear  woolen 
clothes  all  the  year  round.  The  young  women  dress 
very  elaborately  and  all  wear  hats,  the  Spanish  mantilla 
being  adopted  by  elderly  women  only. 

In  the  small  towns,  men  dress  after  the  fashion  of  the 
cities,  except  that  their  clothes  are  made  of  linen. 
Woolen  fabrics  are  uncomfortable,  and  they  are  consid- 
ered a  luxury  to  be  donned  only  on  Sundays  and  holi- 
days. 

Laborers  and  farm  hands  wear  neither  coats  nor  shoes. 
They  do  not  care  to  do  so,  in  the  first  place,  and,  in  the 
second,  they  could  not  afford  to,  as  their  earnings  are 
very  small. 

In  San  Juan  the  streets  are  rectangular  and  are  closely 
built  with  brick  houses  usually  two  or  three  stories, 
stuccoed  on  the  outside,  and  painted  in  different  colors." 
In  one  house  live  several  families,  and  the  degree  of 
rent,  as  well  as  of  social  position,  rises  with  the  height 
of  the  floor  above  the  ground. 

The  lower  floors,  as  a  rule,  are  very  dirty,  and  are 
crowded  in  a  most  unhealthful  way  by  negroes  and  the 
servants  of  those  who  live  above. 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  57 

Sanitary  conditions,  by  the  way,  as  in  all  Spanish 
possessions,  are  the  very  worst  possible,  and  much  will 
have  to  be  done  in  this  respect  when  the  United  States 
takes  permanent  possession. 

There  is  one  feature  which  strikes  every  foreigner, 
and  that  is  the  roof  gardens.  In  many  parts  of  the 
island,  especially  in  the  smaller  towns,  the  whole  popu- 
lation enjoys  itself  at  night  on  the  housetops.  The 
houses  are  built  a  little  off  the  ground,  and  they  look 
not  unlike  castles  in  the  air  which  have  been  built  for 
pleasure  rather  than  for  living  purposes. 

In  all  tropical  countries  people  have  the  habit  of 
sleeping  in  the  daytime,  and  do  their  shopping  and 
attend  to  their  social  duties  in  the  evening.  In  Porto 
Rico  this  custom  is  almost  universal. 

Every  man  of  any  means  is  the  possessor  of  two 
houses,  a  town  house  and  a  country  house.  At  carnival 
times,  or  when  any  special  celebration  is  going  on,  he 
takes  his  family  to  town  and  brings  them  back  again 
when  the  sport  is  over. 

Poverty  is  almost  unknown  in  Porto  Rico,  for  almost 
every  man  owns  his  horse  and  every  woman  is  the  pos- 
sessor of  chickens.  Horseback  riding  is  an  almost  uni- 
versal pastime.  There  are  many  fine  horses  on  the 
island,  and  they  are  used  daily  by  men  and  women. 

The  inhabitants  have  but  few  wants  which  are  not 
satisfied  by  Nature  without  any  effort  on  their  part.  They 
lead  a  dolee  far  nicnte  existence,  swinging  to  and  fro  in 
their  hammocks  all  day  long,  smoking  cigarettes  and 
strumming  guitars. 


58  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

lyife  at  San  Juan  and  the  other  principal  towns  is 
more  or  less  monotonous,  amusements  being  few.  There 
is  a  retreta  or  concert  by  the  military  bands  twice  a 
week  and  theatrical  performances  three  or  four  evenings 
a  week.  Matinees  are  very  seldom  given.  The  theatres 
are  owned  by  the  cities  and  rented  to  European  and 
American  companies  traveling  through  the  island  at  so 
much  an  evening. 

Unlike  Cuba,  there  are  no  bull  fights,  but  cock  fight- 
ing may  be  called  the  national  sport,  and  is  universally 
indulged  in.  Game  cocks  are  the  greatest  attraction  of 
the  markets.  Every  Sunday  there  are  public  fights  in 
the  cockpit,  and  these  are  invariably  accompanied  by 
betting,  often  very  large  amounts  being  involved. 

Gambling,  by  the  way,  may  be  said  to  be  universal. 
Every  one,  from  the  rich  planter  down  to  the  lowest 
laborer  and  beggar,  is  given  up  to  this  vice,  and  will 
squander  away  every  dollar  if  the  mood  takes  him. 

There  is  nothing  but  hospitality  on  the  island.  The 
people  are  exceedingly  polite  to  strangers,  and  the  trav- 
eler who  offers  money  deeply  offends  his  host. 

A  curious  feature  of  the  streets  is  the  milk  delivery, 
which  is  not  unlike  that  prevailing  in  Cuba. 

This  takes  place  before  and  during  the  noon,  or  break- 
fast, hour,  breakfast  being  taken  here  between  12  and  2 
o'clock.  Sometimes  the  milk  is  still  being  sold  at  4  or  5 
o'clock.  The  milkman  drives  from  door  to  door  from 
one  to  four  or  five  cows,  each  branded  with  a  number 
and  usually  one  or  more  of  them  accompanied  by  a  calf. 
The  driver  cries  his  approach,  and  the  customer  fetches 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  59 

cr  sends  out  a  pan,  pail,  bottle,  or  cup,  which  he  hands 
to  the  milkman.  The  milkman  puts  into  the  receptacle 
the  quantity  of  milk  paid  for,  which  he  induces  the  cow 
to  yield  after  the  usual  manner. 

Mr.  W.  G.  Morrisey  gives  an  interesting  description 
of  how  funerals  are  conducted  in  Porto  Rico.  He  says 
that  when  a  native  dies  preparations  are  immediately 
made  for  the  burial. 

No  women  are  allowed  to  attend  the  funeral  and  the 
casket  is  carried  on  the  shoulders  of  four  natives.  The 
cemetery  being  reached,  the  remains  are  deposited  in 
one  of  the  many  vaults  in  the  place,  provided  the  sum 
of  four  pesos  per  year  is  paid  to  the  authorities.  If  this 
sum  is  not  forthcoming  the  corpse  is  placed  in  a  corner 
of  the  graveyard  and  left  there  to  decay.  Mr.  Morrisey 
said  it  was  a  common  occurrence  to  see  seven  or  eight 
funerals  pass  by  every  day. 

Another  thing  that  struck  Mr.  Morrisey  was  the  rail- 
road that  runs  from  Ponce  to  Playo.  The  train  is  made 
up  of  an  old-fashioned  engine  and  three  cars.  There  are 
first,  second  and  third  class  coaches,  the  only  difference 
between  the  first  and  second  class  being  the  seats  in  the 
first  class  coach,  which  are  cushioned.  It  is  first  class  in 
name  only,  and  very  few  of  the  visitors  and  the  better 
class  of  natives  use  it,  because  of  the  fact  that  the 
cushions  are  full  of  vermin.  Everything  seems  to  be 
filthy,  from  the  Hotel  Ingleterra,  which  is  considered 
the  best  house  in  Ponce,  to  the  most  miserable  of  huts 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Morrisey  said  that  it  is  not  a  question  of  one  place 


So  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

being  cleaner  than  the  other,  but  one  place  not  being  as 
filthy  as  another. 

The  facilities  for  lighting  the  city  at  night  were  in- 
vestigated, and  it  was  found  that  very  little  light  is 
used.  The  stores  are  lighted  with  one  or  two  incan- 
descent lights,  which  are  put  in  by  the  managers  of  a 
small  electric  light  plant  that  has  been  in  operation  for 
some  time.  Kerosene  oil  cannot  be  bought  for  less  than 
forty  cents  a  pint,  and  consequently  is  not  used  to  any 
great  extent.  An  ice  plant  has  also  been  established  in 
Ponce,  where  they  manufacture  ice  in  small  cakes  about 
the  size  of  a  brick.  This  sells  at  $1.50  per  hundred- 
weight. 

There  is  no  public  school  system,  and  a  large  number 
of  even  the  white  population  can  neither  read  nor  write. 
The  daughters  of  the  well-to-do  are  sent  to  convents  on 
the  island,  while  the  sons  go  abroad  to  be  educated. 
Among  this  latter  class  there  is  considerable  culture  and 
refinement,  and  most  of  them  speak  English. 

The  women  are  of  medium  size,  but  exquisitely 
formed.  They  have  all  the  coquetry  which  is  typical  of 
the  women  of  the  tropics,  and  no  one  who  visits  Porto 
Rico  can  fail  to  be  impressed  with  their  beauty,  deli- 
cacy and  grace. 

It  has  been  affirmed  that  Porto  Rico  has  been  in  the 
past  a  perfect  Mecca  for  fugitives  from  justice.  At  one 
time  no  less  than  one  hundred  of  this  description  were 
traced  there. 

It  is  really  possible  to  live  on  very  little  money  there, 
and  lives  are  prolonged  to  an  incredible   period.     Fugi- 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  6l 

tives  therefore  find  it  a  haven  in  which  to  turn  over  a 
new  leaf  and  begin  a  better  life. 

The  Porto  Ricans  are  naturally  Roman  Catholics  and 
are  very  devout. 

The  manner  of  keeping  Sunday  would  be  apt  to  shock 
our  New  Englanders  of  Puritan  descent. 

A  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Sun,  who  was  with 
the  army  in  Porto  Rico  speaks  of  this  as  follows: 

"Sunday  at  Ponce,  if  it  continues  as  at  present,  will 
add  still  further  variety  to  the  somewhat  different  ob- 
servances of  the  day  which  now  characterize  the  terri- 
tory of  the  United  States. 

"  *  To-morrow,'  said  a  native  last  Saturday,  'to-mor- 
row I  shall  go  to  the  theatre. ' 

*'  'It's  Sunday,'  said  his  American  soldier  companion. 
'You  should  be  going  to  church.' 

' '  An  elevation  of  the  shoulders. 

' '  'The  same  thing,'  said  the  native. 

"The  show  at  the  theatre  that  day,  by  the  way,  was 
given  by  an  American  troupe  that  has  been  touring  the 
Indies. 

' '  There  is,  of  course,  nothing  new  in  the  custom  in 
Catholic  countries  of  giving  Sunday  mornings  to  church 
and  Sunday  afternoons  to  pleasure.  In  Ponce  the  mer- 
chants are  not  willing  to  close  their  stores  for  the  re- 
ligious observances  of  the  day,  but  hold  that  it  would  be 
wholly  wrong  to  mar  the  hours  of  pleasure  by  business 
attentions.  The  stores  are  all  open  Sunday  mornings  as 
on  other  days,  but  shut  tight  Sunday  afternoons.  Vesper 
services  are  all  but  unknown.     There  may  be  a  change 


62  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

regarding  services  presently.  The  priests  have  not  been 
paid  since  the  arrival  of  the  American  army.  It  was  the 
Spanish  custom  to  pay  them  from  the  customs  receipts. 
Colonel  Hill  has  refused  to  give  them  any  money  since 
he  has  been  in  charge  of  the  custom-house,  and  has  told 
them  that  hereafter  their  people  will  have  to  support 
them  voluntarily.  What  the  people  will  say  to  this  at 
the  start  it  is  hard  to  guess.  They  may  not  wholly  un- 
derstand it.  Under  existing  laws  they  are  taxed  for  the 
support  of  the  church.  What  their  voluntary  support  of 
it  will  be  remains  to  be  seen.  Protestants  have  almost 
a  clear  field  for  mission  work  here.  The  only  Protestant 
church  on  the  island  is  at  Ponce,  and  that  was  opened 
on  the  Sunday  after  the  Americans'  arrival,  for  the  first 
time,  it  is  said,  in  ten  years. 

"The  chief  service  at  the  cathedral  is  held  at  9  o'clock 
Sunday  mornings,  mass  being  said  hourly  from  5  o'clock 
until  then.  At  the  9  o'clock  service  many  Americans 
drift  in.  Even  the  Catholics  among  the  soldiers  who 
have  attended  have  appeared  to  drift  in  rather  than  go 
with  the  purpose  of  doing  their  devotions.  It  may  be 
that  there  seemed  something  inconsistent  in  kneeling 
before  the  altar  with  a  row  of  cartridges  girded  around 
the  body.  One  man  crept  into  the  nave  behind  the  seats, 
took  off  his  cartridge  belt  and  laid  it  beside  him,  and, 
kneeling,  bowed  his  head  ver}'  low,  while  he  joined  in 
the  prayers.  When  the  service  was  over  he  carried  the 
war  belt  in  his  hand  to  the  door  and  there  stopped  and 
buckled  it  on.  Fifty  yards  from  the  door  a  company  of 
the  Nineteenth  Infantry  was  encamped  on  guard  duty  in 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  63 

the  principal  public  square,  ou  one   end   of    which    the 
cathedral  stands. 

*  *  While  the  services  were  going  on  late  comers  of  the 
nativecongregationedged  their  way  in  at  the  rear  doors, 
and,  passing  round  the  screen  beneath  the  choir  loft, 
dropped  to  their  knees  on  the  marble  floor,  there  remain- 
ing until  the  close.  Noticeable  among  these  worshippers 
were  the  old  and  widowed  and  the  very  poor.  The  last 
recked  little  or  not  at  all  of  the  filthy  floor,  trailed  with 
dirt  and  spotted  with  tobacco  juice.  Some  of  the  others 
brought  with  them  prayer  rugs,  even  though  they  were 
but  ragged  strips  of  carpeting." 

The  same  correspondent  has  also  this  to  say  about 
the  shops,  which  is  interesting: 

' '  One  of  the  things  revealed  by  a  shopping  tour  is 
the  absence  from  the  shops  of  anything  distinctly  char- 
acteristic of  Porto  Rico.  The  tourist  has  not  made  the 
island  a  favorite  stopping  place,  and  the  people  seem  to 
prefer  when  buying  anything  not  edible  to  buy  foreign- 
made  articles.  The  only  things  that  even  bore  a  stamp 
indicative  of  Porto  Rico  found  by  several  hunters  after 
curios  were  fit  relics  of  a  Spanish  city — case  knives  in- 
scribed "Viva  Ponce."  Fortunate  seekers  after  memen- 
toes secured  a  few  of  the  peculiar  native  musical  instru- 
ments called  guiros.  It  is  straining  courtesy  as  well  as 
language  to  call  them  musical  instruments,  but  they  are 
used  by  the  natives  to  make  what  to  the  natives  is  music, 
and  one  of  them  is  included  in  each  group  of  street  or 
cafe  musicians.  The  instrument  is  a  gourd  shaped  like 
some  of  our  long-necked  squashes,  hollowed  out  through 


64  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

two  vents  cut  in  one  side,  and  the  surface  over  half  the 
perimeter  slashed  or  furrowed  so  as  to  offer  a  file-like 
resistance  to  a  metal  trident,  which  is  scraped  over  it 
in  time  to  the  music  made  by  the  guitar,  or  whatever 
other  instrument  or  instruments  make  up  the  orchestra. 
There  are  times  when  the  result  is  suggestive  of  the 
couchee-couchee  music  and  scratching." 

For  nearly  three  centuries  slavery  existed  in  Porto 
Rico,  but  it  was  finally  abolished  by  the  Spanish  Cortes 
in  March  1873. 

The  New  York  Herald  in  its  special  correspondence 
has  much  to  say  about  the  inhabitants  that  is  of  un- 
doubted interest,  and  from  this  article  we  have  culled 
considerable  that  follows.  The  article  in  question  was 
written  after  the  virtual  surrender  of  Porto  Rico. 

These  people  have  been  accustomed  to  military  rule 
all  their  lives,  and  to  withdraw  it  in  toto  and  tell  them 
to  go  in  and  govern  themselves  is  an  experience  which 
many  regard  as  dangerous.  Of  a  race  excitable,  with 
blood  that  courses  quickly  and  with  wrongs  of  many 
years'  standing,  the  natives  are  intoxicated  with  their 
freedom.  Their  delirium  has  but  one  course — revenge — 
and  when  the  entire  population  is  fully  awake  to  the 
opportunity  offered  there  may  come  a  break  from  all  re- 
straint, and  then  it  may  be  shown  that  the  depletion  of 
our  army  was  a  blunder. 

Without  the  menaceof  the  Spanish  soldiery,  without 
the  fear  of  the  Church,  and  without  the  guiding  hand  of 
a  good  American  officer  and  wisely-located  American 
army  of  occupation,  there  may  be  trouble  ahead. 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  65 

With  the  going  of  the  soldiers  comes  the  influx  of 
the  mercantile  classes.  Salesmen  are  arriving  in  large 
numbers  and  promoters  and  speculators  abound.  Every- 
thing is  being  boosted  from  its  former  lethargic  tropical 
calm.  Prices  of  commodities  are  rising.  L,and  has 
quadrupled  in  value  in  the  owners'  minds,  and  even  the 
street  gamins  now  demand  twenty-five  cents  American 
money  for  a  single  button  alleged  to  be  cut  from  the 
coat  of  a  Spanish  soldier,  which  they  formerly  had 
trouble  at  disposing  of  at  the  rate  of  twelve  and  one-half 
cents  per  dozen. 

These  commercial  avant  couriers  are  bright,  active 
'  hustlers, '  who  make  the  native  nabobs  gasp  at  their 
breezy  ways,  but,  all  the  same,  these  nabobs  are  pretty 
shrewd  persons  and  know  how  to  buy  closely. 

There  is  one  thing  the  native  merchants  have  to 
learn,  and  that  is  to  display  their  goods  and  wares.  Not 
a  single  show  window  exists,  and  if  some  enterprising 
Yankee  will  just  tear  out  the  forbidding  front  of  one  of 
these  business  houses,  replace  it  with  one  on  the  show- 
case style  and  set  forth  a  dazzling  array  of  merchandize, 
arranged  by  the  deft  hand  of  the  artistic  window  deco- 
rator, there  will  be  a  revolution  in  trade  in  this  place. 

Another  portion  of  the  business  life  to  be  renovated 
is  the  sugar  industry.  The  crudest  system  exists  for  the 
transformation  of  the  juice  of  the  cane  into  the  saccha- 
rine crystals  of  commerce.  Machinery  so  ponderous  that 
it  requires  a  volume  of  steam  all  out  of  proportion  to  the 
energy  actually  needed,  and  wasteful  methods  in  the 
extraction   of   the  syrup   residue  after  crystallization, 


66  MANNERS  AND   CUSTOMS. 

obtain.  Yankee  machinery,  coupled  with  Yankee  push, 
will  cause  a  wonderful  difference  in  the  cost  of  the  fin- 
ished product. 

' '  At  the  same  time  the  manner  of  herding  the  hangs 
on  these  huge  plantations  must  surely  be  changed.  Such 
conditions  exist  in  the  quarters  that  a  mere  recital 
would  be  unprintable,  and  from  an  examination  I  made 
of  the  quarters  of  a  very  large  estate  I  came  away  ill 
mentally  and  physically." 

Members  of  the  Society  for  the  Prevention  of  Cruelty 
to  Animals  have  a  great  field  before  them  in  this  island. 
The  inhabitants  are  the  most  cruel  in  their  handling  of 
beasts  of  burden  and,  in  fact,  of  all  living  creatures  be- 
low the  grade  of  mankind  that  could  be  imagined. 

Oxen  and  bulls  furnish  the  principal  means  of  mer- 
chandise transportation.  They  are  yoked  together  with 
a  huge  horn  rising  upon  the  neck  just  back  of  the  horns 
and  held  in  place  by  bandages  around  the  forehead.  The 
driver  carries  a  goad  about  five  feet  in  length,  in  the 
end  of  which  is  inserted  a  sharp  steel  point  about  one 
inch  long.  This  is  used  so  freely  that  it  is  common  to 
see  streams  of  blood  running  down  the  sides'of  the  poor 
maltreated  beasts.  Not  satisfied  with  using  the  sharp 
end,  the  inhuman  drivers  frequently  deliver  terrific 
blows  with  the  butt  across  the  tender  noses  of  their 
charges. 

Many  an  American  soldier  has  knocked  down  these 
cruel  drivers  for  their  abuse  of  the  patient  beasts,  but 
the  drivers  do  not  improve  with  the  thrashing.  The 
American  military    authorities   have   imported   several 


MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS.  67 

American  yokes  and  an  effort  is  to  be  made  to  compel 
their  use  instead  of  the  timber  of  torture  which  now 
obtains. 

An  author  of  the  last  century  has  this  to  say  about 
the  Porto  Ricans: 

' '  They  are  well  proportioned  and  delicately  organized ; 
at  the  same  time  they  lack  vigor,  ate  slow  and  indolent, 
possess  vivid  imaginations,  are  vain  and  inconstant, 
though  hospitable  to  strangers,  and  ardent  lovers  of 
liberty." 

Referring  to  the  mixture  of  races,  the  same  author 
continues: 

"From  this  variety  of  mixture  has  resulted  a  charac- 
ter equivocal  and  ambiguous,  but  peculiarly  Porto 
Rican.  The  heat  of  the  climate  has  made  them  lazy,  to 
which  end  also  the  fertility  of  the  soil  has  conduced ; 
the  solitary  life  of  the  country  residents  has  rendered 
them  morose  and  disputatious." 

A  writer  of  more  recent  times  declares  that  they  are 
"affable,  generous,  hospitable  to  a  fault,  loyal  to  their 
sovereign,  and  will  to  the  last  gasp  defend  their  island 
from  invasion.  The  fair  sex  are  sweet  and  amiable, 
faithful  as  wives,  loving  as  sisters,  sweethearts  and 
daughters,  ornaments  to  anj^  society,  tasteful  in  dress, 
graceful  in  deportment,  and  elegant  in  carriage.  In  fact, 
visitors  from  old  Spain  have  frequently  remarked  their 
resemblance  to  the  doncellas  of  Cadiz,  who  are  world- 
renowned  for  their  grace  and  loveliness." 

"The  truth  is  that  they  all  have  the  Spanish  co7- 
tesia,'^    says  Frederick  A.  Ober,   in  the  Century  Maga- 


68  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS. 

zine,  when  commenting  upon  the  above  opinions,  "and 
are  more  like  the  polite  Audalusiaus  of  the  south  of 
Spain  than  the  boorish  Catalans  of  the  northeast.  Even 
the  lowliest  laborer,  unless  he  be  one  of  the  four  hun- 
dred thousand  illiterates,  signs  his  name  with  a  rnbrica, 
or  elaborate  flourish  and  styles  himself  'Don,'  after 
the  manner  of  the  Spanish  grandees,  and  the  humblest 
innkeeper,  when  receipting  a  bill,  will  admit  he  'avails 
himself  with  intense  pleasure  of  this  occasion  for  offer- 
ing so  such  a  distinguished  gentleman  the  assurance  of 
his  most  distinguished  consideration!' 

'  'This  need  not  imply  affectation,  nor  even  insincerity, 
but  merely  a  different  conception  of  the  social  amenities 
from  that  of  the  all-conquering  American,  who,  it  is  to 
be  hoped,  will  not  treat  this  foible  with  the  contempt 
which,  in  his  superior  wisdom,  he  may  think  it  merits." 


THE  DAWN  OF  FREEDOM.  69 


CHAPTER  VII. 

T  H  K     DAWN     OP     FREEDOM. 

When  the  United  States  declared  war  against  Spain 
for  the  purpose  of  freeing  Cuba  from  Spanish  misrule 
under  which  she  had  suffered  for  so  long,  and  also  with 
the  desire  to  avenge  the  dastardly  blowing  up  of  the 
Maine,  but  little  or  no  thought  was  given  to  Porto  Rico. 
That  island  was  an  unknown  quantity,  but  still  one 
which  was  destined  to  play  a  considerable  part  in  the 
near  future. 

This  was  in  the  natural  sequence  of  events.  After  the 
terrible  havoc  wrought  by  our  navy  at  Manila  and  at 
Santiago  de  Cuba,  attention  was  turned  toward  Porto 
Rico. 

The  feeling  became  widespread  throughout  the  United 
States  that  the  war  would  fail  in  its  object  if  Spain  were 
not  driven  from  the  possession  of  all  her  colonies  in  the 
West  Indies.  Even  those  who  in  the  beginning  thought 
that  the  war  was  unnecessary,  gradually  came  round  to 
this  point  of  view.  It  was  quite  sure  that  the  expulsion 
of  Spain  from  the  western  hemisphere  would  prevent 
the  provoking  of  another  war  of  the  same  character,  and 
this  desirable  result  could  not  be  achieved  so  long  as 
Spanish  rule  was  maintained  in  any  part  of  the  West 
Indies. 

The  demand  for  the  freeing  of  Cuba,  the  possession  of 


70  THE  DAWN  OF  FREEDOM. 

Porto  Rico,  as  well  as  a  protectorate  over  the  Philip- 
pines, was  just,  and  the  nation  demanded  it. 

The  Boston  Herald  aptly  remarked : 

'  'This  may  well  stand  in  the  place  of  any  exaction  of 
money.  The  United  States  is  much  too  rich  to  desire  to 
compel  money  payment  from  an  exhausted  and  practi- 
cally beggared  nationality.  Such  a  course  would  be  be- 
littling the  war  in  the  eyes  of  the  nations  of  the  world, 
and  it  is  not  at  all  in  accordance  with  ideas  of  our  own 
national  dignity.  Here  is  the  substantial  concession  of 
Spain,  and  it  involves  all  and  more  than  all  for  which 
the  war  was  declared." 

The  invasion  of  Porto  Rico  was  not  commenced  until 
after  the  result  of  the  war  had  been  definitely  decided. 

But  the  Spaniards  with  that  unfailing  belief  in 
"manana"  (to-morrow)  behaved  like  true  Orientals,  as 
they  are  in  part,  and  acted  as  if  time  gained  was  half- 
way toward  victory.  With  scarc^y  an  exception,  they 
are  all  indolent  and  fatalists. 

The  prime  minister,  Senor  Sagasta,  put  off  everything 
with  that  word  which  has  proved  so  fatal  to  Spain, 
which  undoubtedly  precipitated  the  war,  and  which  was 
at  the  bottom  of  all  Senor  Sagasta's policy — "manana." 

It  is  related  that  one  day  in  the  Cortes,  a  deputy  criti- 
cized the  idleness  and  indolence  of  Senor  Sagasta,  and 
the  latter  replied: 

'^ A  nadie  le  ha  sucedido  nado por  no  hacer  nada.''* 

A  free  translation  of  this  is:  "Nothing  happens  to 
him  who  does  nothing." 

Both  Sagasta  and  the  Spaniards  have  doubtless  found 


THE  DAWN  OF  FREEDOM,  71 

out  by  this  time  the  falsity  of  the  saying.  To  show  the 
feeling  prevailing  in  Spain,  it  may  be  well  to  quote  a 
Madrid  correspondent  of  the  London  Times : 

"Though  peace  is  regarded  as  assured,  it  may  not  be 
attained  so  quickly  as  is  generally  expected.  Senor 
Sagasta  objects  to  be  hustled,  and  insists  upon  every- 
thing being  done  in  a  quiet,  orderly  and  dignified  man- 
ner. He  considers  it  necessary  to  have  full  and  satisfac- 
tory explanations  as  to  all  doubtful  points,  in  order  to 
enable  him  best  to  protect  the  national  interests  against 
the  aggressive  tendencies  of  the  Washington  Cabinet. 

' '  He  has  also  to  examine  very  minutely  the  exigencies 
of  the  internal  situation  and  home  politics,  so  as  to 
avoid  popular  dissatisfaction  and  political  unrest.  The 
Spanish  people,  though  sincerely  desirous  of  peace,  are 
disposed  to  admire  this  hesitancy  and  tenacious  holding 
out  till  the  last,  although  aware  that  it  implies  greater 
sacrifices. 

"As  an  illustration  of  this  feeling,  while  General 
Toral  is  blamed  for  capitulating  at  Santiago,  Captain- 
General  Augustin,  in  continuing  a  hopeless  resistance 
at  Manila,  bids  fair  to  be  a  popular  hero." 

About  this  time,  before  any  attack  by  the  Americans, 
Macias,  captain-general  of  Porto  Rico,  discovered  a  con- 
spiracy, which  if  it  had  not  been  quickly  checked  would 
have  placed  the  island  in  a  state  of  insurrection. 

Eduardo  Baselge  and  Danian  Castillo,  both  prominent 
Porto  Ricans,  were  active  leaders  in  the  incipient  insur- 
rection. 

The  Spanish  postal   authorities   discovered   the  con- 


72  THE  DAWN  OF  FREEDOM. 

spiracy  through  a  letter  written  by  Castillo  to  Baselga. 
General  Macias  was  informed  of  this  discovery,  and  a 
quiet  investigation  disclosed  the  fact  that  there  were 
involved  in  it  all  of  the  most  prominent  residents  of  the 
city  of  San  Juan,  both  native  and  foreign. 

The  headquarters  of  the  conspirators  were  located 
and  a  quantity  of  dynamite,  arms  and  provisions  was 
found. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  leaders,  after  their  plans 
had  been  perfected,  to  give  wide  publication  to  a  procla- 
mation calling  upon  all  native  and  patriotic  Porto 
Ricans  who  hold  liberty  dearer  than  life,  to  join  them 
and  accomplish  the  overthrow  of  the  Spanish  govern- 
ment and  the  death  of  the  governor  and  his  officials. 
The  plans  of  the  conspirators  were  so  carefully  laid  that 
had  it  not  been  for  the  accidental  discovery  of  Castillo's 
letter,  they  would  unquestionably  have  been  carried  out. 

The  discovery  of  the  conspiracy  occurred  about  the 
time  of  the  visit  to  Washington  of  Dr.  J.  J.  Henna  and 
Ramon  Todd,  both  prominent  Porto  Ricans,  of  whom 
we  have  had  occasion  to  speak  before,  and  whose  pur- 
pose in  going  there  was  to  hold  a  conference  with  Presi- 
dent McKinley  relative  to  the  establishment  of  a  provi- 
sional United  States  government  in  the  island  after  the 
Spaniards  had  been  driven  out. 

Within  twenty-four  hours  after  the  arrest  the  two 
leaders,  Baselga  and  Castillo,  were  shot. 

The  residents  became  very  much  excited  over  the 
affair,  and  feeling  against  the  Spanish  officials  ran  high. 

From  the  very  beginning  the  real  Porto  Ricans,  as  we 


THE  DAWN  OF  FREEDOM.  73 

shall  see  hereafter,  were  in  favor  of  the  Americans. 
The  Spaniards,  however,  were  most  bitter,  and  as 
had  been  the  case  in  Havana  and  Manila,  kept  up  an 
absurd  show  of  superior  strength.  This  is  well  mani- 
fested by  a  proclamation  which,  signed  by  Jose  Reyes, 
Celestins  Dominguez  and  Genara  Cautino,  was  issued 
to  the  people  of  Guayama  on  May  20,  1898.  As  one  of 
the  curiosities  or  the  war,  it  can  only  be  compared  to 
the  celebrated  and  laughable  manifesto  which  Captain- 
General  Augustin  issued  at  Manila  just  before  the  ap- 
pearance of  Admiral  Dewey's  fleet. 

The  Porto  Rican  proclamation  ran  as  follows: 

"To  the  people  of  Guayama.    Hurra  for  Spain! 

"  A  nation  that  is  our  enemy,  by  its  history,  by  its 
race,  and  because  she  is  the  principal  cause  of  our  mis- 
fortunes in  Cuba,  having  fomented  in  this  island  that 
is  our  sister  a  war  in  which  she  supplied  all  kinds  of  re- 
sources, taking  away  at  last  the  mask  with  which  she 
concealed  her  fictitious  friendship,  has  excited  us  to-day 
to  vowed  war. 

"There  is  a  deep  abyss  between  the  manner  of  being 
of  that  people  and  ours,  which  established  antagonism 
that  we  should  never  be  able  to  remove.  Our  sonorous 
language,  our  habits,  the  religion  of  our  ancestors,  and 
our  necessities  are  conditions  of  our  life  so  different  from 
those  of  that  race,  so  opposite  to  those  of  that  people, 
that  we  are  frightened  in  thinking  that  we  should  be 
constrained  to  accept  a  manner  of  being  that  is  repug- 
nant to  our  origin,  our  heart  and  our  feelings.    We  are  a 


74  THE  DAWN  OF  FREEDOM. 

people  entirely  Spanish,  and  we  were  born  to  a  civilized 
life  under  a  flag  that  was,  and  we  hope  ever  will  be,  that 
of  our  wives  and  children.  For  four  hundred  years  the 
warmth  of  the  mother  of  our  native  country  has  given 
life  to  our  organisms,  ideas  to  our  brains,  majestic 
thoughts  to  our  souls,  and  generous  undertakings  to 
our  hearts,  and  in  those  four  centuries  the  glories  of  the 
Spanish  house  have  been  our  glories,  her  gayeties  our 
gayeties,  and  her  misfortunes  our  own  misfortunes. 

"We  have  been  full  of  haughtiness  when,  being  con- 
sidered as  the  Conqueror's  sons,  we  know  that  we  had 
participation  in  the  heroic  actions  of  our  brothers,  and 
that  the  laurels  with  which  they  crowned  their  hero's 
front  were  also  our  laurels.  When  in  tranquil  hours 
We  heard  in  our  hearths  our  predecessors'  epopee,  de- 
scribing as  superfluously  exact  their  achievements; 
giving  them  lively  color  that  always  inspires  our  tropi- 
cal fancy,  our  nerves  felt  the  thrill  produced  by  enthu- 
siasm ;  at  those  moments,  our  being  all  affected,  our 
breast  with  its  strong  aspirations  and  our  fiery  tears 
rolling  down  the  cheeks  reminded  us,  obliging  the  cords 
of  patriotism  to  vibrate,  that  we  were  Spaniards,  and 
we  neither  could  nor  would  like  any  other  thing  than 
to  remain  Spaniards. 

"As  if  it  could  be  that  the  country  of  Sergeant  Diaz, 
of  Andino,  and  Vascarrondo's,  and  all  those  conspicu- 
ous countrymen  that  irrigated  with  their  blood  Martin 
Pena  and  Rio  Piedras  camps  could  measure  either  the 
vigor  or  the  haughtiness  of  an  enemy  who  has  not  yet 
exhibited  his  face  after  so  many  ostentatious  and  angry 


THE  DAWN  OF  FREEDOM.  75 

vociferations.  No !  and  thousand  times  no !  The  light 
fishermen  of  Porto  Rico's  shores,  merchants,  lawyers, 
musicians,  mechanics,  journeymen,  all  persons  who 
may  have  strength  to  grasp  a  gun  must  ask  for  it.  All 
united,  with  a  solid  front  we  shall  go  to  intercept  the 
invader.  Behind  us  and  as  a  reserve  legion  will  come 
down  from  the  highlands  like  a  raging  storm,  if  it  is 
necessary,  the  Jibafos,  our  fields'  brothers,  the  most 
accomplished  exemplar  of  abstinence,  probity  and  brav- 
er}'; the  same  that  formed  the  urban  militia;  the  same 
that  were  sent  to  Santo  Domingo  to  defend  gentile 
honor;  they,  who  in  number  of  more  than  16,000,  cov- 
ered the  plains  of  the  north  shore  of  the  island,  and 
compelled  the  Englishmen  in  1797  to  re-embark  hastily, 
leaving  their  horses  and  artillery  park. 

"Porto  Ricans!  the  moment  is  rising  when  not  a  sin- 
gle man  of  this  country  gives  a  step  backwards,  as  it  is 
said  commonly ;  the  hour  of  organizing  ourselves  for 
defense  is  sounded.  The  Spanish  lion  has  shaken  his 
dishevelled  mane,  and  our  duties  calls  us  around  him. 
Our  temper  is  to  fighL,  and  we  shall  fight.  Our  fate  is  to 
overpower,  "and  we  shall  overpower.  Honor  imposes 
upon  us  the  obligation  of  saving  home,  and  we  shall 
save  it  in  this  land  of  our  loves.  Before  North  American 
people  carry  their  boldness  so  far  as  to  tread  our  sea- 
coasts  it  is  necessary  that  we  must  be  ready  to  receive 
them  ;  that  they  may  find  in  every  Porto  Rican  an  in- 
exorable enemy,  in  every  heart  a  rock,  in  each  arm  a 
weapon  to  drive  them  away;  that  that  people  feels 
that  here  it  is  detested  intensely,  and  that  Porto  Rico's 


76  THE  DAWN  OF  FREEDOM. 

Spirit  is  Spanish,  and  she  will  ever  be  so;  therefore, 
inhabitants  of  Guayama,  we  invite  you  for  a  meeting  at 
the  Town  House  next  Tuesday  and  offer  our  kind  ofl&ces 
to  the  government,  who  will  give  us  arms. 

' '  It  would  be  unworthy  of  our  so  gentle  history,  we 
should  deny  our  blood,  if  in  these  moments  of  struggle 
we  should  endure  indifferently.  Let  our  enemies  know 
that  we  are  a  brave  people,  and  that  if  we  are  soft  in 
peace  days,  we  are  also  fit  for  war  chances ;  that  all  his 
command,  all  his  pride,  and  all  his  arrogance  may  fall 
out  with  a  wall  composed  of  all  Porto  Rican  breasts. " 

In  the  light  of  ulterior  and  posterior  events,  this 
document  is  really  as  comical  as  anything  in  opera- 
bouffe. 

"We  have  no  means  of  knowing,"  says  the  New 
York  Sun,  in  commenting  upon  this  precious  effusion, 
"whether  Senor  Jose  Reyes,  Senor  Celestino  Do- 
minguez  and  Senor  Genaro  Cautino  actually  grasped 
their  guns  and  immolated  themselves  upon  the  altar  of 
four  centuries  and  in  the  presence  of  the  ostentatious 
and  vociferous  invader;  or  whether  they  prudently 
joined  the  light  fishermen,  merchants,  lawyers,  musi- 
cians and  jibaros  of  Porto  Rico,  to  whom  they  had 
vainly  appealed  in  the  name  of  Spain  in  yelling  them- 
selves hoarse  as  the  Stars  and  Stripes  went  up  in  town 
after  town.  Perhaps  they  took  the  latter  course.  Per- 
haps they  will  turn  out  good  Americans.  In  Porto 
Rico,  as  elsewhere,  times  change,  and  men's  minds 
change  with  the  changes  of  time  and  destiny." 


NAVAI,  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR.  77 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

NAVAL   LESSONS   TAUGHT   BY  THE   WAR. 

After  the  remarkable  victory  at  Santiago  de  Cuba, 
where  Admiral  Cervera's  fleet,  which  attempted  to  steal 
out  of  the  harbor,  with  the  loss  of  but  one  man  on  the 
American  side.  Admiral  Sampson,  with  a  portion  of  his 
fleet,  proceeded  to  San  Juan  in  Porto  Rico.  This  city  he 
bombarded,  directing  his  principal  fire  against  Morro 
Castle. 

What  followed  bears  strong  testimony  to  the  remark- 
able gunnery  of  our  '  'jackies." 

Morro  Castle  and  the  buildings  on  the  high  ground 
in  its  rear  were  simply  riddled.  Great  holes  were  in 
places  blown  out  by  our  large  shells  and  the  walls  were 
pitted  by  the  hail  of  the  smaller  ones. 

There  was  one  entire  building  which  was  blown  to 
pieces,  and  a  whole  section  of  the  Cuartel  was  laid  in 
ruins.  To  be  sure,  many  of  our  shells  were  wasted  in 
the  sea  wall,  but  this  is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  as  the 
parapet  had  embrasures  for  guns,  and  from  where  our 
ships  were  lying,  thCvSe  would  naturally  be  mistaken  for 
a  sea  battery. 

Neither  in  Morro  Castle  nor  in  the  more  pretentious 
fortifications  known  as  San  Cristobal,  were  there  any 
great  number  of  modern  guns.  There  were  a  few  Krupp 
guns,  but  the  remainder  consisted  of  muzzleloaders  of 
an  ancient  pattern;  most   of  the  latter  were   mounted 


78     NAVAL  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR. 

Upon  parapets  of  masonry.  It  may  be  said  that  the  de- 
fences of  San  Juan  were  opposed  to  every  theory  of 
modern  military  science.  The  defenses  might  have  been 
considered  impregnable  some  fifty  years  or  so  ago,  but 
to-day  they  are  by  no  means  formidable. 

Our  marvelous  naval  victories  have  taught  a  lesson  to 
the  entire  world,  and  America  to-day  stands  stronger 
than  she  ever  did  before.  In  fact,  there  is  not  a  nation 
that  does  not  respect  us  and  fear  us,  which  possibly 
could  not  have  been  said  before  the  American-Spanish 
war.  Prior  to  that,  it  was  rather  the  fashion  to  sneer  at 
the  Yankee  army  and  navy,  but  that  will  never  be  done 
again. 

Foreign  nations  know  now  what  the  United  States 
really  is. 

"Dewey's  and  Sampson's  victories  must  be  very  de- 
pressing to  French,  German  and  Russian  naval  aspira- 
tions,"  observes  a  gentleman  of  Washington,  who  is  a 
most  competent  authority.  ' '  For  years  they  have  been 
measuring  up  against  England,  and  quietly  calculating 
what  combinations  they  could  make  to  overthrow  Brit- 
ish sea  power.  France,  particularly,  has  been  building 
a  navy  which  she  hoped,  in  spite  of  past  experience, 
might  cope  with  England's.  She  has  spent  immense 
sums  upon  it,  and  relative  to  the  interests  it  has  to 
guard,  it  is  larger  and  stronger  than  England's.  But 
Spain's  experience  reiterates  the  old  story  that  it  is  not 
so  much  the  ships  as  the  men  on  them  who  win  vic- 
tories. Had  the  Americans  been  on  Spanish  ships  and 
the  Spanish  on  the  American  there  would    have  been  a 


NAVAIv  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR.  79 

very  different  story  to  tell.  While  the  French  are  very 
superior  to  the  Spanish,  they  are  of  the  same  Latin 
blood,  and  there  is  just  enough  siniiliarity  between  the 
two  peoples  to  hint  at  the  success  French  ships  would 
have  in  encountering  with  Anglo-Saxons,  either  sailing 
under  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  or  the  Cross  of  St. 
George.  Germany  is  likely  to  have  the  same  sort  of  a 
chill.  The  Germans  have  never  been  a  maritime  nation. 
A  German  war  vessel  has  never  fired  a  hostile  shot,  and 
Germans  may  well  have  solicitous  thoughts  as  to  the 
result  of  a  struggle  with  men  who  have  shown  them- 
selves past  masters  in  the  art  of  naval  warfare.  Russia  is 
in  the  same  situation.  She  has  never  actually  fought 
anybody  at  sea  but  the  Turks.  The  wiser  among  these 
peoples  are  very  likely  to  begin  thinking  that  their 
dreams  of  sea  power  are  vain  illusions,  and  that  they 
had  better  save  the  money  they  have  been  spending  on 
navies  and  resign  the  dominion  of  the  sea  to  the  Eng- 
lish-speaking races." 

There  is  no  doubt  that  our  naval  victories  have 
taught  many  and  valuable  lessons,  and  it  is  perhaps 
proper  to  make  a  slight  digression  here  and  show  what 
some  of  these  lessons  are. 

lyCt  us  then  consider  the  deliberations  of  a  board  of 
naval  officers,  some  of  the  ablest  experts  in  the  service, 
appointed  by  Admiral  Sampson,  after  the  battle  of  San- 
tiago de  Cuba,  to  report  upon  the  condition  of  Cervera's 
sunken  fleet,  the  extent  of  damages  done  by  American 
shells  and  the  lessons  to  be  learned  therefrom  to  guide 
the  United  States  in  its  future  ship  construction. 


8o     NAVAL  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR. 

The  conclusions  reached  by  the  board  were  as  follows : 

The  use  of  wood  in  the  construction  and  equipment  of 
war  ships  should  be  reduced  to  the  utmost  minimum 
possible. 

Loaded  torpedoes  above  the  water  line  are  a  serious 
menace  to  the  vessels  carrying  them,  and  they  should  not 
be  so  carried  by  vessels  other  than  torpedo  boats. 

The  value  of  rapid-fire  batteries  cannot  be  too  highly 
estimated. 

All  water  and  steam  pipes  should  be  laid  beneath  the 
protective  deck  and  below  the  water  line  and  fitted 
with  risers  at  such  points  as  maj^  be  considered  neces- 
sary. 

The  board  also  found  that  the  ships  Infanta  Maria 
Teresa,  Almirante  Oquendo  and  Viscaya  were  destroyed 
by  conflagration,  caused  by  the  explosion  of  shells  in 
the  interior,  which  set  fire  to  the  woodwork.  The  upper 
deck  and  all  other  woodwork  on  their  ships  was  entirel)' 
consumed  except  the  extremities.  This  shows  the  im- 
portance of  fireproofing  all  woodwork  on  board  ships. 

Many  of  the  guns  on  board  the  burned  ships  were 
found  loaded  at  the  time  of  the  board's  visit,  indicating 
the  haste  with  which  the  crews  were  driven  from  the 
guns. 

With  talks  with  experts  the  following  was  developed 
as  to  what  the  war  showed : 

First — That  the  gun  is  still  the  dominating  factor  in 
war. 

Second — That  rapid-fire  guns  are  especially  valuable, 
but  that  it  is  advisable  to  retain  guns  of  large  calibres 


i 


NAVAL  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THK  WAR.     8i 

Third — That  smokeless  powder  is  absolutely  essential 
for  modern  warfare. 

Fouith — That  there  should  be  a  great  reduction  intlie 
amount  of  woodwork  on  board  ship  and  that  that  left  on 
l)oard  should  be  fireproof,  some  going  so  far  as  to  sa}' 
that  woodwork  should  be  eliminated  entirely,  its  place 
to  be  taken  by  some  other  substance. 

Fifth — That  armor  should  be  distributed  over  the  en- 
tire ship  rather  than  be  limited  lo  the  section  where  its 
vitals  are  located. 

Sixth — That  monitors  are  useless  for  cruising  purposes 
or  for  fighting  in  rough  waters. 

Seventh — That  the  United  States  should  have  a  larger 
navy,  with  speedier  battleships  and  fast  armored 
cruisers,  and  with  coaling  stations  in  different  sections 
of  the  globe,  where  men-of-war  can  procure  supplies 
and  make  repairs  if  necessary. 

Captain  Charles  O'Neil,  chief  of  the  bureau  of 
ordnance,  gave  his  opinion  as  follows: 

"  I  do  not  think  the  battle  off  Santiago  de  Cuba  dem- 
onstrated that  we  should  abandon  the  heavy  calibres  of 
guns.  Serious  injury  to  an  enemy's  thickly-armored 
battleships  can  be  inflicted  only  by  large-calibre  guns. 

"It  is  possible  that  with  rapid-fire  guns  you  may 
shoot  away  the  lightly  armored  superstructure,  but  as 
long  as  the  vitals  are  protected  and  the  turret  armor  is 
intact  the  guns  in  the  turret  will  be  able  to  do  execu- 
tion, and  large-calibred  guns  will  be  necessary  to  per- 
forate the  armor  and  disable  those  weapons.  Even  with 
her  1 2-inch  guns  the  Texas  can  fire   at  the  rate   of   one 


82     NAVAL  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR. 

round  per  minute,  and  this  record  is  as  good  as  that 
made  b}'  any  foreign  ships.  Rapid  fire  consists  in  good 
facilities  for  handling  ammunition  and  loading  the  gun 
with  a  quick-working  breech  mechanism. 

' '  We  are  now  building  at  the  Washington  gun  factory 
an  experimental  6-inch  rapid-fire  gun,  different  from 
the  rapid-fire  guns  we  have  now  in  service,  which  are 
supplied  with  what  is  termed  fixed  ammunition.  The 
powder  and  projectile  to  be  used  in  the  experimental 
gun  will  be  separate,  and  two  operations  consequentl)' 
will  have  to  be  employed  in  loading.  This  can  be  done 
so  quickl}'  that  it  is  expected  that  a  very  rapid  fire  will 
be  obtained. 

"It  is  the  policy  of  the  Department  to  have  our  ships 
a  little  ahead  of  those  of  any  other  nation,  to  have 
them  equipped  with  armor  of  greater  resistive  power, 
and  guns  eapable  of  doing  more  execution.  The  13-inch 
gun,  as  at  present  designed,  is  a  more  destructive  gun 
than  a  12 -inch  ordinarily,  and  its  energy  is  very  much 
greater,  the  result  naturally  being  that  it  has  superior 
armor-piercing  powers. 

"I  think  we  should  keep  the  13-inch  gun  on  board  of 
our  battleships.  On  account  of  the  light  armor  which 
protected  the  Spanish  men-of-war,  it  is  difficult  to  com- 
pare the  ships  and  the  effect  of  their  fire,  or  to  draw 
conclusions.  We  would  have  learned  more  if  the  Span- 
ish fleet  had  been  made  up  of  battleships,  and  the  fire 
of  their  gunners  had  been  more  accurate.  As  it  is,  the 
value  of  the  secondary  battery  was  certainly  demon- 
strated. 


NAVAL  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR.  83 

"The  necessity  of  eliminating  wood  to  the  greatest 
extent  possible  and  fireproofing  what  remains,  was 
shown  by  the  destruction  of  the  Spanish  men-of-war. 
Fire  mains  should  be  kept  below  the  protective  deck. 
The  battle  proved  that  ships  moving  rapidly  can  attack 
other  vessels  also  under  w^ay  and  inflict  serious  injury. 

"The  excellent  gunnery  of  the  American  sailors  is 
entirely  due  to  the  practice  which  they  had  undergone, 
but  the  target  fired  at  was  stationary,  while  their  ship 
was  moving.  The  conditions  were  different  in  action. 
The  Spanish  were  under  way,  yet  the  American  gunners 
fiired  as  well  as  if  they  were  merely  practising. ' ' 

The  New  York  Herald  speaks  as  follows  of  our  naval 
victories: 

' '  Ramming,  that  expedient  of  despair,  was  not  at- 
tempted. Torpedoing,  despite  the  opportunities  afforded, 
was  estopped  by  the  quick  service  of  rapid-fire  guns  on 
board  an  inferior  but  superbly  handled  construction, 
and  that  final  effort,  a  'charge  through,'  was  never 
allowed  to  challenge  the  combined  energies  of  our  fleet. 
If  audacity  could  have  merited  success,  these  Spaniards 
deserved  much,  but  here  the  marrow  of  the  war 
proverb  was  not  with  them. 

"Pitted  against  similar  ships,  even  in  superior  num- 
bers, some  of  the  fleeing  cruisers  might  have  slipped 
seaward  in  hot  haste  for  the  breaking  of  the  Havana 
blockade.  Failing  that,  all  might  have  concentrated  an 
assault  upon  certain  selected  vessels  and  found  consola- 
tion for  final  defeat  in  the  foundering  hulls  of  their 
enemy.    But  audacity  did  not  count,  individual  bravery 


84     NAVAL  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR. 

went  for  naught;  because,  while  heavier  constructions 
barred  the  way,  and  superior  guns  smashed  the  pathways 
of  escape,  energized  skill  overcame  untrained  courage 
and  patient  discipline  crushed  unorganized  effort. 

"The  battleships  not  only  fought  the  armored  cruisers 
in  a  long,  stern  chase  down  the  shore,  but  destroying  as 
chey  ran,  finally  forced  them  blazing  in  their  own  wrecks 
upon  a  hostile  coast.  The  torpedo  boat  destroyers  en- 
gaged single  handed  by  the  Gloucester  succumbed  so 
quickly  to  inferior  armament  and  speed  that  their  value 
in  a  day  attack,  or,  indeed,  their  value  at  any  time  save 
as  weapons  of  surprise,  need  no  longer  be  reckoned 
with.  This  will  be  a  rude  awakening  to  the  zealots 
who  had  seen  in  this  weapon  the  downfall  of  the  ship  of 
the  fighting  line,  but  it  will  be  a  heart-cheering  con- 
firmation to  the  loyal  seamen  who  in  season  and  out 
have  never  ceased  to  proclaim  that  the  integrity  of  sea 
nations  rests  on  battleships  and  the  well-served  guns  of 
a  fleet." 

"I  think  sometimes  if  it  had  not  been  for  the  work  of 
the  Oregon  the  Colon  might  have  got  away,"  was  the 
statement  made  by  an  admiral  on  the  retired  list.  "I 
am  not  sure  that  the  Brooklyn,  with  all  her  speed,  could 
have  stopped  the  Colon,  but  I  think  it  quite  likely  that 
the  New  York  would  have  finally  overtaken  the  Colon 
and  stopped  her." 

More  emphasis  was  laid  upon  the  speed  of  the  Oregon 
and  the  closeness  of  her  position  than  upon  her  13-inch 
shells,  one  of  which  played  such  havoc.  The  admiral 
was  not  seemingly   impressed   with   the   difference   in 


NAVAIv  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR.  85 

effectiveness  between  the  guns  of  large  and  small  calibre, 
but  continued  to  lay  stress  on  the  admirable  speed  of 
the  Oregon. 

"But,"  he  continued,  "the  war  has  proved  nothing 
so  far  as  the  navy  is  concerned.  The  Spaniards  showed 
no  enterprise.  If  we  had  come  up  against  the  navy  of 
England  there  would  have  been  some  basis  for  a  con- 
clusion, but  shooting  in  the  air,  as  the  Spaniards  did, 
proves  nothing.  They  had  a  fine  fleet,  with  most  modern 
equipment,  and  yet  they  could  kill  only  one  man  in  the 
whole  encounter." 

Admiral  Sir  George  Elliot,  of  the  British  Navy,  con- 
siders that  at  least  five  important  lessons  have  been 
taught  by  the  war.     His  opinions  are  as  follows: 

"First,  in  state  of  peace  be  fully  prepared  for  war  in 
every  respect;  second,  the  value  of  adequately-protected 
coaling  stations;  third,  the  value  of  superior  speed  for 
the  cruiser  class,  and  especially  for  the  more  weakly- 
armored  vessels;  fourth,  the  naval  defense  of  seaports 
by  gunboats  and  the  raising  of  the  naval  volunteer 
corps  as  an  integral  portion  of  the  naval  reserve  forces; 
fifth,  that  great  importance  be  attached  to  a  steady  gun 
platform  for  quick-firing  guns,  looking  to  the  small 
number  of  hits  compared  with  numerous  shots  fired. 

"In  this  connection,"  said  Sir  George  Elliot,  "I 
am  informed  that  the  Americans  are  likely  to  adopt 
Captain  Hodgett's  form  of  bottom  for  their  new  ships, 
which  must  give  greater  steadiness  than  bilge  keels." 

Admiral  Sir  Henry  Nicholson,  who  was  captain  of 
the  Temeraire  at  the  bombardment   of   Alexandria,  and 


86  NAVAIv  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR. 

has  since  been  commander  in  chief  at  the  Cape  of  Good 
Hope  and  at  the  Nore,  has  spoken  thus: 

"This  war  has  taught  us  nothing.  The  state  of  the 
Spanish  navy  has  been  for  years  so  hopelessly  rotten 
that  when  the  moment  for  action  arrived  its  military 
value  was  nil.  The  Spanish  gunners  hardly  seem  to  have 
got  a  hit  in  on  any  American  ship.  Nothing  is  taught 
us  as  to  the  relative  value  of  the  belt  or  deck  armor." 

As  regards  ships  versus  forts,  he  said : 

"The  Spanish  forts  seem  to  have  been,  probably  from 
various  reasons,  as  inefficient  as  their  ships.  Both  the 
Spaniards  and  the  Americans  in  their  use  of  torpedo 
craft  have  shown  very  remarkable  absence  of  dash. 
Practically  neither  side  has  made  any  use  of  this 
dreaded  arm." 

Captain  Montagu  Burrow,  who  is  professor  of  modern 
history  at  the  University  of  Oxford,  had  this  opinion 
to  offer: 

"There  are  no  new  lessons  to  be  learned,  but  only 
confirmation  of  some  that  are  very  old.  The  state  of 
unreadiness  in  Spain  when  the  war  suddenly,  broke  out 
might,  from  the  unfortunate  circumstances  of  that 
country,  have  been  expected,  but  if  the  United  States 
had  had  to  deal  with  a  Power  anything  like  its  own 
strength  it  would  have  found  its  own  position  intensely 
difficult.  The  war  will  probably  have  the  effect  of  in- 
ducing their  government  to  keep  up  a  standing  army 
and  navy  of  a  very  superior  kind  to  that  of  their  present 
S5'stem.  The  recent  warning  of  their  admirable  writer, 
Captain  Mahan,    will   now   have    a    chance    of    being 


i 


NAVAL,  LESSONS  TAUGHT  BY  THE  WAR.  87 

listened  to,  but  the  Americans  have  only  to  expand 
what  is  already  proved  to  be  good.  The  training  of 
their  officers  and  men  must  have  been  of  a  superior  kind 
to  enable  them  to  handle  their  ships  and  point  their 
guns  with  such  excellent  effect.  It  was  at  one  time  con- 
sidered doubtful  whether  modern  guns  could  be  as  ac- 
curately filed  at  great  distances  as  the  old  armament  at 
shorter  ranges,  but  they  were  laid  quite  as  accurately, 
and  were  far  more  destructive. ' ' 

As  the  New  York  Herald  declared  at  the  time,  the 
United  States  had  now  attained  their  majority.  They 
were  now  of  age,  and  their  voice  must  be  heard  in  the 
council  of  nations. 

There  were  misgivings  all  over  Europe,  especially  in 
Germany  and  France,  old  and  bitter  foes  though  they 
are. 

A  prominent  Parisian  thus  summed  up  these  misgiv- 
ings: 

"The  young  American  giant,"  he  said,  "is  only  try- 
ing his  strength  on  Spain,  but  what  if  he  should  use  it 
against  us?" 


88  WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

WHAT    OUR    ARMY    ACHIEVKD. 

Now  to  turn  from  the  navy  to  the  arni)^,  and  see  what 
the  latter  achieved  in  Porto  Rico. 

On  July  21,  1898,  General  Miles  sailed  from  Guan- 
tanarao  Bay  with  a  force  of  3,415  men.  General  Wilson 
had  sailed  the  day  before  from  Charleston  with  4,000 
men,  and  General  Scliwan  and  his  command  sailed  from 
Port  Tampa  two  days  later. 

The  entire  army  of  invasion  numbered  about  eleven 
thousand  men. 

The  hardships  on  the  transports  were  very  great. 

The  Massachusetts  carried  three  troops  of  cavalry 
from  New  York  and  Pennsylvania  to  Porto  Rico  and  the 
events  of  the  voyage  have  been  thus  narrated  by  an  eye- 
witness: 

' '  With  the  penetrating  of  the  tropics  come  days  of 
languor  and  nights  of  inactivity  so  delicious  it  seems 
profanation  to  move.  More  than  one  thousand  men,  who 
boarded  the  Massachusetts  with  the  vigor  of  the  North 
in  their  veins,  have  succumbed,  one  by  one,  to  the 
lethargy  of  the  soft  breeze  of  the  Bahamas. 

But  an  awakening  is  at  hand.  Pumps  that  have  been 
running  steadily  day  and  night  slow  down  and  stop. 
Troopers  had  become  so  accustomed  to  the  quick  beat- 
ing of  the  smaller  machines  that  the  cessation  of  throbs 
between  the  slower  pulsations  of  the  heavier  engines   is 


WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED.  89 

noticed  instantly.  A  quick  inquiry  as  to  the  cause 
brings  the  answer  from  one  less  well-informed:  '  'Only 
the  water  pumps  broken  down. ' '  That  is  all ,  only  eleven 
hundred  parched  horses  awaiting  the  answer  to  the 
bugle  call  they  had  learned  so  well — "Water horses!" — 
which  sounded  at  the  moment  of  the  fatal  break  in  the 
pumps.  Only  a  transport  carrying  ten  hundred  and 
thirty  men,  and  no  means  of  extinguishing  a  fire! 

Twenty  minutes;  one-half  hour,  and  Captain  Read, 
who  has  gone  down  into  ' '  the  hole, ' '  asks  for  five  Troop 
Amen.  "No  hurry,"  so  the  order  said.  Somebody 
knew  better,  and  the  troopers  go,  hand  over  hand,  down 
into  the  ship's  hold,  A  few  bales  of  hay  come  up  and 
over  the  side  of  the  ship,  and  sizzle  as  they  strike  the 
water.  The  troopers  nurse  a  few  burned  fingers,  and 
Captain  Read  reappears  on  deck,  smoked,  wet  with  per- 
spiration, and  makes  his  usual  answer  to  a  question, 
"What's  the  trouble?"  with  "Nothing  at  all."  But 
five  men  of  Troop  A  and  Captain  Read  knows  that  a 
dangerous  fire  has  been  extinguished  for  the  third  time 
in  one  day  with  men's  bare  hands. 

"Three-quarters  of  an  hour,  and  no  sound  from  the  en- 
gine-room, except  the  steady  throb  of  the  propeller. 

"  'Thirty  men  from  Troop  A,  thirty  men  from  City 
Troop,  and  thirty  men  from  Troop  C!'  and  ninety  men 
in  three  squads  silently  are  lined  around  that  entrance 
to  Hades — the  hole.  'Another  fire,'  was  the  quick 
alarm,  but  it  was  worse  than  that.  'Water!  water! 
water!'  the  cry  comes  from  the  sunken  eyes  that  look 
pleadingly  at  men;  from  harsh  breathing;  from  parched 


go  WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED. 

throats ;  from  hanging  heads  of  eleven  hundred  horses 
and  mules  that  had  not  been  watered  since  receiving  a 
scant  quart  eighteen  hours  before.  'Let's  see,'  said  the 
United  States  cavalrymen,  quietly,  'the  pumps  are 
hopeless,  but  we  can  draw  up  one  bucketful  every  minute 
from  the  hold  aft,  and  one  every  minute  from  the  for- 
ward hatch.  We  ought  to  water  all  in  ten  hours.  Form 
lines  and  water  solid.  The  horse  you  skip  will  be  dead 
.in  the  morning.' 

"The  horses  stand  with  swollen  legs  far  apart,  in- 
stinctively to  prevent  a  fall.  Once  down,  they  know 
they  never  can  get  up.  Their  heads  hang  low  and  their 
breathing  comes  in  a  whistle  from  parched  lungs 
through  a  long,  dry  throat  and  dusty  mouth.  There  is 
an  occasional  form  in  the  black  galleys.  It  is  some 
trooper,  his  big  arms  around  the  neck  of  his  beloved 
dying  mount,  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  but  petting  and 
talking  to  the  animal  as  if  it  understood.  Then  ropes 
over  blocks  begin  to  draw  buckets  of  water  from  sixty 
feet  below.  Immediately  each  horse  or  mule  has  its 
draught,  it  is  bathed  in  perspiration,  and  skin  dry  and 
shriveled  becomes  soft  and  pliable.  One  can  feel  in  the 
dark,  whether  a  horse  has  been  missed  or  not. 

'  'There  is  a  delay  and  an  anxious  inquiry  from  above: 
'What's  the  matter?'  'Haul  away,'  is  the  response,  and 
the  bucket  comes  heavy  this  time.  Oh,  it's  only  a  man, 
stark  naked,  fainting,  with  a  rope  beneath  his  arms, 
and  head  away  to  one  side.  '  Hospital  case,  overcome, 
haul  away,'  and  another  bucket  swings  upward." 

Qf  course  the  objective  point   of   the  whole  campaign 


WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED.  91 

was  the  capital,  San  Juan,  on  the  northeastern  coast  of 
the  island.  Nevertheless  the  troops  were  mostly  landed 
on  the  southern  coast  not  far  from  the  southwestern 
corner.  The  plan  was  to  drive  all  the  Spanish  troops 
upon  the  island  into  San  Juan,  where  they  could  be  cap- 
tured upon  the  surrender  of  that  city. 

The  Spaniards  abandoned  precipitately  the  whole 
southern  coast  line,  and  this  seemed  to  promise  an  easy 
march  for  the  Americans  across  Porto  Rico. 

But  this  was  not  exactly  the  case,  as  we  shall  proceed 
to  demonstrate. 

There  were  several  causes  why  the  Spaniards  fled  be- 
fore the  invading  Americans. 

One  was  that  in  the  beginning  the  Spanish  forces, 
from  lack  of  knowledge  as  to  where  the  Americans 
would  land,  were  widely  scattered.  B3'  retreating,  the 
coast  garrisons  were  brought  together  in  bodies  of  more 
or  less  magnitude.  More  than  this  in  the  interior  could 
be  found  stronger  positions  for  defense,  and  there  only 
land  forces  would  have  to  be  dealt  with. 

It  is  probable  that  the  Spaniards  in  Porto  Rico,  know- 
ing as  they  must  have,  that  the  war  was  virtually  over, 
hoped  by  a  show  of  resistance  at  the  end  to  come  out 
with  a  certain  degree  of  credit,  and  had  resolved  to  give 
up  the  fight  only  when  they  received  an  order  to  do  so 
from  Madrid. 

At  all  events,  the  Spanish  troops  disputed  the  Ameri- 
can advance  at  several  points.  At  Fajardo  the  American 
forces  raised  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  but  the  Spaniards, 
several  hundred  in  number,    pulled    it   down   and   even 


92  WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED. 

sought  to  drive  away  the  lauding  party  that  held  the 
lighthouse  on  the  shore.  This  attempt  was  most  mani- 
festly absurd,  as  in  the  harbor  was  a  squadron,  consist- 
ing of  the  monitor  Amphitrite,  the  protected  cruiser 
Cincinnati  and  the  Leyden.  No  time  was  lost  in  land- 
ing men  to  support  the  lighthouse  force,  and  to  open 
fire  from  the  ships.  The  Spaniards  were  driven  back 
and  suffered  much  from  their  foolish  temerity. 

In  the  beginning  the  plan  of  campaign  included  an 
advance  along  three  lines. 

The  first  division,  under  General  Schwan,  was  to  ad- 
vance along  the  western  coast  to  Aguadilla,  in  the  north- 
western corner  of  the  island,  and  then  to  push  to  the 
east  until  Arecibo,  on  the  northern  coast  and  about  half- 
way between  Aguadilla  and  San  Juan,  was  reached. 
The  second  division,  under  General  Henry,  was  to  push 
directly  to  the  north  from  Ponce,  forming  a  union  with 
Schwan  at  Arecibo.  The  main  advance  was  to  be  along 
the  military  road  from  Ponce  to  San  Juan.  As  this  road 
runs  for  some  distance  parallel  to  the  southern  coast,  a 
division  was  dispatched  under  General  Brooke  to  land 
at  Arroyo  and  capture  Guayama,  an  important  city  on 
the  military  road,  about  forty  miles  east  of  Ponce.  By 
this  means,  whatever  detachments  of  Spanish  troops 
might  be  stationed  on  the  road  between  these  two 
points  were  exposed  to  attack  from  both  front  and 
rear. 

Before  any  of  these  movements  could  be  completed, 
however,  came  the  armistice  and  the  consequent  cessa- 
tion of  hostilities. 


WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED.  93 

Much,  though,  had  been  accomplished  before  this, 
enough  to  show  what  American  arms  were  capable  of. 

In  the  east.  General  Brooke,  after  landing  at  Arroyo, 
had  taken  Guayama ;  in  the  centre.  General  Wilson  had 
advanced  on  the  military  road,  occupied  Coamo,  and 
had  made  a  demonstration  before  Aibonito,  w^here  there 
was  a  large  Spanish  force;  further  to  the  west.  General 
Henry  had  marched  to  within  fifteen  miles  of  Arecibo; 
in  the  extreme  west,  General  Schwan  had  marched  along 
the  coast  and  taken  Mayaguez,  the  principal  port  in  that 
end  of  the  island,  after  a  sharp  skirmish  with  a  force 
that  outnumbered  his  own.  The  slight  opposition  met 
by  General  Brooke  at  Guayama,  General  Wilson  at 
Coamo,  and  General  Schwan  near  Mayaguez,  indicated 
that  there  would  be  little  difficulty  in  reaching  the  capi- 
tal, and  officers  and  men  alike  felt  that  the  capture  of 
San  Juan  was  a  matter  of  but  a  few  days. 

The  third  landing  of  American  troops  in  Porto  Rico 
took  place  on  August  2,  at  Arroyo,  from  the  St.  Louis 
and  the  St.  Paul.  The  army  then  took  the  place  of  the 
navy  and  accepted  the  surrender  of  the  town.  There 
was  no  defense  and  no  Spanish  flag  was  flying.  The 
surrender  of  Arroyo  was  important,  as  there  were  a 
large  number  of  manufacturing  enterprises  there. 

The  attitude  of  the  civil  authorities  and  the  ineffec- 
tive character  of  the  defense  made  by  the  Spanish 
troops,  says  the  San  Francisco  Argonaut,  was  illus- 
trated by  the  advance  made  by  General  Henry's  division. 
General  Roy  Stone  was  sent  in  advance  with  a  small 
body  of  about  one  hundred  men  to  reconnoiter  the  road 


94  WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED. 

and  determine  its  fitness  for  military  operations.  The 
character  of  the  expedition  may  be  gathered  from  the 
fact  that  General  Stone  and  his  officers  rode  in  carriages. 
Yet  town  after  town  surrendered  to  these  outposts  until 
they  were  encamped  before  Arecibo,  on  the  northern 
coast  of  the  island.  The  main  body  had  nothing  to  do 
but  follow  and  furnish  flags  for  the  surrendered  munici- 
palities. 

One  of  the  most  extraordinary  things  in  the  whole 
campaign  was  the  surrender  of  the  city  of  Ponce.  This 
was  done  in  response  to  a  telephone  communication  from 
Ensign  Curtin.     Not  a  single  shot  was  fired. 

After  the  surrender  of  Ponce  it  was  reported  that  a 
large  Spanish  force  had  gathered  about  ten  miles  in  the 
interior.  Two  companies  of  soldiers  were  sent  out  by 
General  Ernst  to  see  what  this  meant.  On  the  outskirts 
of  the  town  a  party  of  Spanish  soldiers,  loaded  down 
with  guns  and  swords,  was  met  with.  As  soon  as  the 
Spaniards  caught  sight  of  the  Americans  they  ran 
toward  them  crying,  "Don't  shoot!" 

They  declared  that  they  were  coming  in  to  surrender. 
Although  the  party  was  small,  they  had  arms  enough  to 
stock  a  regiment.  They  were  taken  before  General  Wil- 
son, gave  up  their  arms  and  signed  a  parole. 

There  was  quite  a  strong  resistance  made  at  Coamo,  a 
town  on  the  main  military  road  between  Juana  Diaz  and 
the  Spanish  mountain  stronghold  at  Aibonito.  General 
Wilson  effected  the  capture  of  this  place  with  the  most 
consummate  skill.  His  plan  was  simple  enough.  It  was 
nothing  more  nor  less  than  an  ordinary  flank  movement, 


WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED.  95 

such  as  Graut  aud  Sherman  used  so  successfully  during 
the  Civil  War. 

General  Wilson  advanced  against  the  town  on  the 
main  road  with  sufficient  infantry,  cavalry  and  artillery 
to  drive  out  the  Spanish  garrison.  But  when  the  latter 
attempted  to  retreat  they  found  their  way  blocked  by 
the  Sixteenth  Pennsylvania,  under  Colonel  Hulings, 
which  General  Wilson  had  sent  round  to  the  rear  of  the 
town  the  night  before. 

The  attack  in  front  was  timed  so  as  to  allow  this  force 
to  get  into  position. 

The  Battle  of  Coamo,  if  indeed,  it  can  be  so  called, 
for  it  was  nothing  more  than  a  lively  skirmish,  has  been 
thus  described: 

"Just  as  darkness  fell,  the  regiment  left  the  military 
road  and  struck  at  a  right  angle  for  the  hills  to  the 
northward.  Porto  Rican  guides  led  the  way  over  paths 
so  rough  and  narrow  that  the  men  could  move  only  in 
single  file.  It  was  toilsome  progress.  Absolute  silence 
was  enjoined ;  no  smoking  was  permitted  lest  the  fitful 
flash  of  a  match  should  betray  the  movement  to  the 
watchful  Spaniards  on  the  hills.  For  hours  the  men 
toiled  on.  The  officers  were  compelled  to  walk  and  lead 
their  horses.  Creeks  and  rivulets  were  waded;  lofty 
hills  were  climbed  or  skirted;  j'awning  ravines  were 
crossed.  The  men  dripped  with  perspiration,  although 
the  night  air  was  chilly. 

* '  At  dawn  both  General  Wilson  and  General  Ernest 
were  in  the  saddle,  and  long  before  the  shadows  lifted 
from  the  valleys  the  main  body  of  the  army  was  in   mo- 


96  WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED. 

tion  to  drive  the  enemy  out  of  the  town  and  into  Hill- 
ing's net.  Nearer  than  the  village  and  off  to  the  right 
was  the  blockhouse  of  Llamo  de  Coamo.  The  block- 
house was  the  first  place  attacked.  There  was  a  heavy, 
jarring  rumble  over  the  macadam  of  the  military  road. 
Anderson's  battery  came  along  at  a  sharp  trot.  At  a 
turn  in  the  road  where  the  blockhouse  came  into  view  it 
halted.  Two  minutes  later  the  fight  opened.  For  a  few 
minutes  the  Spanish  returned  the  fire  with  Mausers,  but 
as  shell  after  shell  crashed  through  the  blockhouse,  they 
abandoned  it  and  fell  back  toward  Coamo.  Soon  flames 
leaped  upward  from  the  roof,  and  an  hour  later  the  fort 
was  but  a  smoldering  ruin. 

Meanwhile  the  infantry  was  pressing  rapidly  forward. 
General  Wilson  was  wondering  what  had  become  of 
Hulings.  Not  a  warlike  sound  came  from  the  village,  a 
mile  and  a  half  away.  Had  the  garrison  escaped  ?  Sud- 
denly from  beyond  the  town  came  the  rattle  of  mus- 
ketry. Soon  the  sound  swelled  into  a  steady  roar,  which 
the  mountains  echoed  again  and  again." 

The  same  writer  tells  a  story  in  regard  to  one  whom 
he  terms  a  real  hero  of  the  war,  and  he  calls  attention  to 
the  callous  manner  in  which  Spanish  soldiers  were  sac- 
rificed to  protect  political  adventurers  at  home.  To 
quote  his  own  words: 

' '  His  name  was  Don  Rafael  Martinez.  There  was  no 
military  justification  for  attempting  to  hold  Coamo 
under  the  circumstances.  Yet  Major  Martinez  stayed. 
He  was  still  in  the  prime  of  youth  and  in  fine  health. 
In  Spain  his  family  is  aristocratic  and   influential,    and 


WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED.  97 

could  have  protected  liiiu  fioni  the  consequences  of  a 
quixotic  court-martial.  Martinez  knew  that  resistance 
was  utterly  hopeless.  But  Colonel  San  Martian  had 
been  practically  disgraced  by  Governor-General  Macias 
for  evacuating  Ponce,  and  all  commanders  of  garrisons 
in  the  path  of  the  American  army  were  ordered  to  fight. 
So  Major  Martinez  kissed  his  young  wife  and  children 
good-by  one  day  last  week  and  sent  them  into  San  Juan 
for  safety.  His  scouts  brought  word  that  an  American 
column  of  double  the  garrison's  strength  was  slowly 
creeping  around  to  his  rear.  Then  Martinez  knew  that  he 
was  trapped,  and  decided  to  go  out  and  meet  the  eneni}'. 
He  rode  in  advance  of  his  slender  column  until  he 
sighted  Hulings's  men,  who  were  immediately  apprised 
of  the  enemy's  presence  by  a  volley.  Soon  bullets  were 
flying  like  hail.  Martinez,  mounted  upon  a  gray  horse, 
rode  up  and  down  in  front  of  his  troops,  uttering  en- 
couraging words.  The  soldier's  death  which  Martinez 
sought  was  not  long  coming.  For  a  while  he  reeled  in 
his  saddle,  maintaining  his  seat  with  evident  difficulty. 
Then  his  horse  went  to  his  knees,  and  Martinez  slowly 
slid  from  the  saddle,  a  lifeless  form.  When  Major  Mar- 
tinez was  found,  five  wounds,  three  of  which  were  mor- 
tal, were  discovered.  His  horse  was  shot  in  four  places." 
The  result  of  the  attack  on  Coamo  was  the  capture  of 
about  one  hundred  and  eighty  men,  or  most  of  the  gar- 
rison except  the  cavalry  who  took  to  the  mountains  by 
paths  better  known  to  them  than  to  the  Americans.  Of 
General  Wilson's  force,  none  was  killed  and  only  a  few 
were  wounded. 


98  WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED. 

The  whole  affair  was  splendidly  managed.  As  has 
been  said  before,  all  General  Miles's  plans  could  be  put 
into  action,  the  war  was  practically  ended. 

On  the  afternoon  of  August  12,  Secretary  of  State  Day 
and  M.  Cambon,  the  French  ambassador,  who  was  rep- 
resenting Spain,  affixed  their  signatures  to  duplicate 
copies  of  a  protocol  establishing  a  basis  upon  which  the 
two  countries,  acting  through  their  respective  commis- 
sioners, could  negotiate  terms  of  peace. 

The  provisions  of  the  protocol  were  practically  as 
follows : 

1.  That  Spain  will  relinquish  all  claim  of  sovereignty 
over  and  title  to  Cuba. 

2.  That  Porto  Rico  and  other  Spanish  islands  in  the 
West  Indies,  and  an  island  in  the  Ladrones,  to  be  se- 
lected by  the  United  States,  shall  be  ceded  to  the  latter. 

3.  That  the  United  States  will  occupy  and  hold  the 
city,  bay  and  harbor  of  Manila,  pending  the  conclusion 
of  a  treaty  of  peace  which  shall  determine  the  control, 
disposition  and  government  of  the  Philippines. 

4.  That  Cuba,  Porto  Rico  and  other  Spanish  islands  in 
the  West  Indies  shall  be  immediately  evacuated,  and  that 
commissioners,  to  be  appointed  within  ten  days,  shall, 
within  thirty  days  from  the  signing  of  the  protocol, 
meet  at  Havana  and  San  Juan  respectively,  to  arrange 
and  execute  the  details  of  the  evacuation. 

5.  That  the  United  States  and  Spain  will  each  appoint 
not  more  than  five  commissioners  to  negotiate  and  con- 
clude a  treaty  of  peace.  The  commissioners  are  to  meet 
at  Fans  not  later  tlian  OctoDer  1. 


WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED.  99 

6.  On  the  signing  of  the  protocol,  hostilities  will  be 
suspended  and  notice  to  that  effect  will  be  given  as  soon 
as  possible  by  each  Government  to  the  commanders  of 
its  military  and  naval  forces. 

The  President  at  once  signed  the  following  proclama- 
tion, declaring  an  armistice: 

"By  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  America: 

"A  PROCLAMATION. 

"Whereas,  By  a  protocol  concluded  and  signed 
August  12,  1898,  by  William  R.  Day,  Secretary  of  State 
of  the  United  States,  and  his  Excellency  Jules  Cambon, 
Ambassador  Extraordinary  and  Plenipotentiary  of  the 
republic  of  France  at  Washington,  respectively  repre- 
senting for  this  purpose  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  and  the  Government  of  Spain,  the  United  States 
and  Spain  have  formally  agreed  upon  the  terms  on 
which  negotiations  for  the  establishment  of  peace  be- 
tween the  two  countries  shall  be  undertaken;  and, 

' '  Whereas,  It  is  in  said  protocol  agreed  that  upon  its 
conclusion  and  signature  hostilities  between  the  two 
countries  shall  be  supended,  and  that  notice  to  that 
effect  shall  be  given  as  soon  as  possible  by  each  govern- 
ment to  the  commanders  of  its  militar}^  and  naval  forces; 

"Now,  therefore,  I,  William  McKinley,  President  of 
the  United  States,  do,  in  accordance  with  the  stipula- 
tions of  the  protocol,  declare  and  proclaim  on  the  part  of 
the  United  States  a  suspension  of  hostilities,  and  do 
hereby  command  that  orders  be  immediatel}'  given 
through  the  proper  channels  to  the  commanders   ol    ti.e 


loo  WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED. 

military  and  naval  forces  of  the  United  States  to  abstain 
from  all  acts  inconsistent  with  this  proclamation. 

"In  witness  whereof,  I  have  hereunto  set  my  hand 
and  caused  the  seal  of  the  United  States   to   be  affixed. 

"Done  at  the  city  of  Washington,  this  12th  day  of 
August,  in  the  year  of  our  lyord  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  ninety-eight,  and  of  the  independence  of  the 
United  States  the  one  hundred  and  twenty-third. 

"William  McKinley. 

"By  the  President. William  R.  Day,  Secretary  of  State." 
It  may  be  interesting  to  pause  here  for  a  moment  and 
note  what  the  London  press  had  to  say  as  to  this  sus- 
pension of  hostilities.  It  will  be  observed  that  the  com- 
ments were  extraordinarily  favorable  to  the  United 
States. 

The  Standard,  commenting  on  the  signing  of  the 
protocol  by  the  representatives  of  Spain  and  the  United 
States,  said :  ' '  Thus  ends  one  of  the  most  swiftly  de- 
cisive wars  in  history.  Spanish  rule  disappears  from  the 
West.  The  conquerors  have  problems  of  great  difficulty 
before  them.  Doubtless  they  will  face  them  with  patriotic 
resolution." 

The  Daily  News  said:  "August  12,  1898,  will  be  a 
memorable  day  in  the  histor^^  of  the  world.  It  is  the 
day  which  witnessed  the  death  of  one  famous  empire 
and  the  birth  of  another,  destined  perhaps  to  more  en- 
during fame.  It  must  be  admitted  that  the  results 
achieved  are  a  substantial  record  for  four  months  of 
war." 


WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED.  loi 

The  Morning  Post  said  that  the  protocol  leaves  open 
the  two  questions  regarding  which  future  difficulties 
that  may  not  concern  the  United  States  and  Spain  alone 
are  likely  to  arise.  It  advises  Spain,  assuming  that  the 
United  States  only  holds  Manila,  to  sell  the  Philippines. 

The  Daily  Telegraph  was  impressed  by  the  indiffer- 
ence of  the  bulk  of  the  Spanish  nation  to  the  sentiment 
of  national  pride,  which  seems  to  be  extinct.  For  this 
reason  national  life,  in  the  true  sense  of  the  word,  must 
sooner  or  later  cease  to  exist. 

The  paper  discussed  the  decadence  of  Spain  in  con- 
nection with  the  contention  that  France  and  Italy  have 
become  stationary,  and  predicts  the  ultimate  disappear- 
ance of  the  Latin  race  as  a  factor  in  the  human  drama. 

The  Chronicle  said  that  the  American  people  will 
never  regret  the  sacrifices  they  have  made  to  remove  the 
Spanish  colonies  from  the  map. 

It  added  that  many  more  difficulties  and  sacrifices 
await  them,  but  the  result  will  be  the  growth  of  freedom 
and  the  extension  of  human  happiness  and   prosperity. 

The  Times  said  it  hoped  it  was  not  a  violation  of 
neutrality  to  express  the  satisfaction  felt  by  a  great  ma- 
jority of  Knglishmen  at  the  success  of  the  United  States. 
It  added : 

' '  Historians  will  wrangle  for  a  long  time  respecting 
the  propriety  of  the  methods  by  which  the  war  was 
brought  about,  but  once  begun  it  was  eminently  desira- 
ble for  the  interests  of  the  world,  and  even,  perhaps, 
ultimately  to  the  interests  of  Spain  herself,  that  it 
should  result  in  the  success  of  the  Americans. 


I02  WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED. 

The  factor  in  the  situation  which  is  of  the  greatest 
immediate  importance  to  ourselves  is  the  fate  of  the 
Philippines." 

The  Times  thought  it  very  remarkable  that  the  New 
York  newspapers  discovered  on  the  same  day  that  the 
United  States  were  bound  to  put  themselves  in  the  best 
possible  position  for  defending  the  common  interests  of 
themselves  and  Great  Britain  in  China.     It  concluded: 

' '  Providence  in  the  nick  of  time  has  given  them  the 
Philippines." 

The  armistice  proclamation  was  followed  at  once  by 
orders  from  the  War  Department  to  the  several  com- 
manding generals  in  the  field  directing  that  all  military 
operations  be  suspended. 

This  was  the  text  of  the  message  to  General  Miles: 

"Adjutant-General's  Office, 
Washington,  Aug.  12,  1898. 
"Major-General  Miles,  Ponce,  Porto  Rico: 

"The  President  directs  that  all  military  operations 
against  the  enemy  be  suspended.  Peace  negotiations  are 
nearing  completion,  a  protocol  having  just  been  signed 
by  representatives  of  the  two  countries.  You  will  in- 
form the  commander  of  the  Spanish  forces  in  Porto  Rico 
of  these  instructions.  Further  orders  will  follow. 
Acknowledge  receipt. 

* '  By  order  Secretary  of  War. 

"H.  C.  Corbin,  Adjutant-General." 

These  orders,  coming  as  they  did,  undoubtedly  pre- 
vented the  sacrifice  of  manj^  valuable   lives   before  San 


WHAT  OUR  ARMY  ACHIEVED.  103 

Juan.  But  they  were  anything  but  popular  among  the 
American  troops,  for  they  reached  the  various  divisions 
just  as  each  was  about  to  strike  a  decisive  blow. 

The  Spaniards,  however,  it  is  said,  received  the  news 
with  loud  manifestations  of  delight. 

In  General  Brook's  division,  a  battery  had  just  been 
advanced  to  position  and  the  order  to  fire  was  about  to 
be  given,  when  a  courier,  his  steed  panting  and  covered 
with  foam,  dashed  upon  the  field  and  informed  the  gen- 
eral that  an  armistice  had  been  concluded. 

General  Brooke's  sole  repl}'  was: 

'  'Ivieutenant,  you  arrived  five  minutes  too  soon.  You 
should  have  been  more  considerate  of  your  horse." 

While  our  army  did  not  have  a  chance  to  show  all 
that  it  was  capable  of  accomplishing,  it  was  proven  con- 
clusively that  the  Yankees  are  good  and  brave  fighters. 

The  sight  of  an  army  springing  up  out  of  nothing, 
the  spectacle  of  the  monumental  work  of  military 
organization  being  pushed  on  to  success  in  spite  of  mis- 
takes, arrested  the  attention  of  all  European  nations. 

One  thing  is  certain — a  noble  victory  has  been  nobly 
won;  and  won,  happily  at  a  cost,  which,  deplorable 
though  it  actually  was,  was  relatively  small,  as  must  be 
acknowledged  by  every  student  of  the  warfare  of  the 
past. 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US- 


CHAPTER  X. 

HOW   the;   PORTO   RICANS    RECKIVKD   US. 

Whatever  may  have  been  the  attitude  and  feelings  of 
the  Spanish  officials  and  Spanish  troops,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  Porto  Ricaus  themselves  welcomed  most 
enthusiastically  the  advent  of  the  Americans  and  the 
dawn  of  a  new  era.  The  joy  manifested  at  the  sight  of 
invaders  in  a  conquered  country  was  most  extraordin- 
ary, and  we  can  affirm  with  truth  that  it  has  no  parallel 
in  history. 

It  was  most  fortunate  that  little  or  no  fighting  took 
place,  as  thus  many  valuable  lives  were  saved.  There 
was  no  question  whatever  as  to  the  result. 

The  number  and  location  of  the  Spanish  troops  on  the 
island  just  before  the  armistice  was  declared  were  as 
follows : 

Aibonito,  i, 800  men,  and  two  4-inch  field  cannon; 
Cavey,  700  men;  Caguas,  600;  Rio  Piedras,  180; 
Carolite,  320;  Arecibo,  320,  and  two  4-inch  field  can- 
non; Aguadilla,  320;  Crab  Island,  100;  Bayamon,  395; 
San  Juan,  1,706,  making  a  total  of  5,441,  to  which  ma3' 
be  added  approximately  500  of  the  Guardia  Civil,  doing 
duty  in  their  own  villages  all  over  the  island,  and  200 
of  the  Orden  Publico,  doing  similar  police  duty  in  San 
Juan.  Many  members  of  the  Guardia  Civil  in  or  near 
the  territory  held  by  the  American  troops  joined  the 
Americans. 


HOW  the;  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US.  105 

It  cannot  be  told  with  any  certainty  how  much  re- 
sistance the  Spaniards  would  have  offered  had  hostilities 
continued,  but  most  of  the  fighting  would  have  un- 
doubtedly taken  place  within  sight  of  San  Juan.  The 
Spaniards  themselves  believed  this,  as  the  preparations 
they  made  sufficiently  indicated. 

The  native  people  generally  were  thoroughly  de- 
lighted with  the  news  that  the  island  was  likely  to  be 
ceded  to  the  United  States.  Wherever  the  American  flag 
went  up,  it  was  cheered  with  a  vigor  that  probably  was 
never  given  to  the  Spanish  flag  during  all  the  centuries 
it  has  been  in  evidence. 

Everywhere,  the  people  rushed  forward  to  welcome 
the  invaders,  and  showered  them  with  hospitable  atten- 
tions. Pretty  women  dressed  themselves  in  their  richest 
garments  and  smiled  their  sweetest  smiles  to  charm  the 
conquerors. 

Food,  cigars  and  wines  were  pressed  upon  the  soldiers; 
the  civil  authorities  issued  florid  proclamations  over  the 
glad  event  of  becoming  "Americanos,"  and  the  whole 
country  blossomed  with  Star-Spangled  banners.  The 
only  reason  why  even  more  of  them  were  not  displayed 
was  because  more  of  them  could  not  be  obtained. 

It  was  one  of  the  most  unlooked-for  and  surprising 
things  of  this  most  surprising  war,  as  a  writer  in  the 
National  Tribune  of  Washington  observes. 

The  same  writer  goes  on  to  say  that  really  there  is 
good  reason  for  all  this. 

"The  substantial  people  of  Puerto  Rico  know  that  it 
is  immensely   to  their  interest  to  cut  loose  from  Spain, 


To6         HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US. 

and  be  grafted  on  to  the  United  States,  The  greater 
part  of  their  trade  is  with  this  country,  and  Spain  has 
been  bleeding  them  for  the  privilege  of  carrying  it  on. 
Now  they  can  send  their  coffee,  sugar,  tobacco,  tropical 
fruits,  etc.,  directl}'  to  this  market,  get  American  prices 
for  them,  and  buy  American  goods  in  return  at  regular 
American  prices. 

"They  ought  to  be  mighty  glad  to  get  into  this  coun- 
try, but,  being  Spaniards,  we  hardly  expected  them  to 
have  so  much  sense." 

Guanica  was  the  first  town  taken  by  our  soldiers. 

The  enthusiasm  was  unbounded,  and  numbers  of 
the  citizens  called  to  pay  their  respects  to  the  leading 
officers. 

At  Guanica  the  following  proclamation  was  issued  to 
the  people  of  the  island  under  the  signature  of  General 
Miles: 

"Guanica,  Porto  Rico,  July  27,  1898. 
"To  the  Inhabitants  of  Porto  Rico: 

"In  the  prosecution  of  the  war  against  the  Kingdom 
of  Spain  by  the  people  of  the  United  States,  in  the  cause 
of  libert}',  justice  and  humanity,  its  military  forces  have 
come  to  occupy  the  islands  of  Porto  Rico.  They  come 
bearing  the  banners  of  freedom,  inspired  by  noble  pur- 
poses, to  seek  the  enemies  of  our  government  and  of 
yours,  and  to  destro}'  01  capture  all  in  armed  resistance. 

' '  They  bring  you  the  fostering  arms  of  a  free  people, 
whose  greatest  power  is  justice  and  humanity  to  all  liv- 
ing  within  their  fold.     Hence   they   release  you   from 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US.        107 

your  former  political  relations,  and  it  is  hoped  this  will 
be  followed  by  the  cheerful  acceptance  of  the  govern- 
ment of  the  United  States. 

"The  chief  object  of  the  American  military  forces 
will  be  to  overthrow  the  armed  authority  of  Spain  and 
give  the  people  of  your  beautiful  island  the  largest 
measure  of  liberty  consistent  with  this  military  occu- 
pation. 

"They  have  not  come  to  make  war  on  the  people  of 
the  country,  who  for  centuries  have  been  oppressed ;  but, 
on  the  contrary,  they  bring  protection,  not  only  to  your- 
selves, but  to  your  property,  promote  your  prosperity 
and  bestow  the  immunities  and  blessings  of  our  enlight- 
enment and  liberal  institutions  and  government.  It  is 
not  their  purpose  to  interfere  with  the  existing  laws 
and  customs,  which  are  wholesome  and  beneficial  to 
the  people,  so  long  as  they  conform  to  the  rules  of  the 
military  administration,  order  and  justice.  This  is  not 
a  war  of  devastation  and  dissolution,  but  one  to  give  all 
within  the  control  of  the  military  and  naval  forces  the 
advantages  and  blessings  of  enlightened  civilization." 

The  mayor  of  Guanica  also  issued  a  proclamation, 
which  was  thus  worded : 

"Citizens:  God,  who  rules  the  destinies  of  nations, 
has  decreed  that  the  Eagle  of  the  North,  coming  from 
the  waters  of  a  land  where  liberty  first  sprang  forth  to 
life,  should  extend  to  us  his  protecting  wings.  Under 
his  plumage,  sweetly  reposing,  the  Pearl  of  the  An- 
tilles, called  Porto  Rico,  will  remain  from  Jul)'  25. 

' '  The  starry  banner  has  floated  gayly  in  the  valleys  of 


io8         HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US. 

Guanica,  the  most  beautiful  port  of  this  downtrodden 
land.  This  city  was  selected  by  General  Miles  as  the 
place  in  which  to  officially  plant  his  flag  in  the  name  of 
his  government,  the  United  States  of  America.  It  is  the 
ensign  of  grandeur  and  the  guarantee  of  order,  morality 
and  justice.  Let  us  join  together  to  strengthen,  to  sup- 
port and  to  further  a  great  work.  Let  us  clasp  to  our 
bosoms  the  great  treasure  which  is  generously  offered  to 
us  while  saluting  with  all  our  hearts  the  name  of  the 
great  Washington. 

' '  Augustin  Barrenecha,  Alcalde. 
"Guanica,  Porto  Rico,  U.  S.  A.,  July  26,  1898." 

Yauco  was  the  next  to  surrender. 
When  the  troops   took   possession   of   the   town   the 
mayor  promptly  issued  this  proclamation : 

''Citizens: 

' '  To-da}^  the  citizens  of  Porto  Rico  assist  in  one  of 
her  most  beautiful  festivals.  The  sun  of  America  shines 
upon  our  mountains  and  valleys  this  day  of  July,  1898. 
It  is  a  day  of  glorious  remembrance  for  each  .son  of  this 
beloved  isle,  because  for  the  first  time  there  waves  over 
it  the  flag  of  the  Stars,  planted  in  the  name  of  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  of  America  by  the  major- 
general  of  the  American  Army,  General  Miles. 

"Porto  Ricans,  we  are  by  tlie  miraculous  intervention 
of  the  God  of  the  just  given  back  to  the  bosom  of  our 
mother  America,  in  whose  waters  Nature  placed  us  as 
people  of  America,  To  her  we  are  given  back  in  the 
name  of  her  government  by  General  Miles,  and  we  must 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US.        109 

send  her  our  most  expressive  salutation  of  generous 
affection  through  our  conduct  toward  the  valiant  troops 
represented  by  distinguished  officers  and  commanded  b)' 
the  illustrious  General  Miles. 

"Citizens:  Long  live  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  of  America!  Hail  to  their  valiant  troops!  Hail 
Porto  Rico,  always  American ! 

"  Yauco.  Porto  Rico,  United  States  of  America. 

' '  El  Alcalde,  Francisco  Megia. ' ' 

The  alcalde  is  the  judge  who  administers  justice,  and 
he  also  presides  as  mayor  over  the  City  Council. 

The  citizens  of  the  town  hugged  the  Americans,  and 
some  fell  upon  their  knees  and  embraced  the  legs  of  the 
soldiers.     It  was  a  most  remarkable  spectacle. 

On  July  29,  Ponce  was  formally  given  over  to  the 
Americans,  without  the  firing  of  a  single  shot.  The 
populace  received  the  troops  and  saluted  the  flag  with 
enthusiasm.  When  General  Miles  entered  the  city  he 
was  welcomed  by  the  mayor,  cheered  to  the  echo  by  the 
citizens  and  serenaded  by  a  band  of  music. 

The  mayor  of  Ponce  issued  a  proclamation  of  the  same 
tenor  as  that  of  the  mayor  of  Yauco,  although  not  quite 
so  enthusiastic. 

General  Wilson  was  made  military  governor  of  Ponce. 

A  day  or  two  after  the  taking  of  Ponce  several  local 
judges  were  sworn  intoofiice.  This  was  the  first  time  in 
the  history  of  the  United  States  that  the  judges  of  a 
foreign,  hostile  but  conquered  country,  swore  to  support 
the  Constitution  of  the  United  States. 


no         HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US. 

The  following  was  the  form  sworn  to  by  the  various 
officials: 

"I  declare  under  oath  that,  during  the  occupation  of 
the  island  of  Porto  Rico  by  the  United  States,  I  will  re- 
nounce and  abjure  all  allegiance  and  fidelity  to  every 
foreign  prince,  potentate,  state  or  sovereignty,  particu- 
larly the  Queen  Regent  and  the  King  of  Spain,  and  will 
support  the  constitution  of  the  United  States  against  all 
enemies,  foreign  or  domestic,  and  will  bear  true  faith 
and  allegiance  to  the  same. 

' '  Further,  I  will  faithfully  support  the  Government  of 
the  United  States,  established  by  the  military  authorities 
in  the  island  of  Porto  Rico,  will  yield  obedience  to  the 
same  and  take  the  obligation  freely,  without  mental 
reservation  or  with  the  purpose  of  evasion,  so  help  me 
God." 

On  July  31,  the  commanding  general  sent  a  message 
to  the  War  Department,  the  first  official  one  received 
from  Ponce.    It  read  as  follows: 

"Secretary  of  War,  Washington,  D.  C. : 

' '  Your  telegrams  27th  received  and  answered  by  let- 
ter. Volunteers  are  surrendering  themselves  with  arms 
and  ammunition ;  four-fifths  of  the  people  are  overjoyed 
at  the  arrival  of  the  army.  Two  thousand  from  one  place 
have  volunteered  to  serve  with  it.  They  are  bringing  in 
transportation,  beef,  cattle  and  other  needed  supplies. 

"The  Custom  House  has  already  yielded  $14,000. 

"As  soon  as  all  the  troops  are  disembarked  they  will 
be  in  readiness  to  move. 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US.         iii 

''Please  send  any  national  colors  that  can  be  spared, 
to  be  given  to  the  different  municipalities. 

*  'I  request  that  the  question  of  the  tariff  rates  to  be 
charged  m  the  parts  of  Porto  Rico  occupied  by  our 
forces  be  submitted  to  the  President  for  his  action,  the 
previously  existing  tariff  remaining  meanwhile  in  force. 
As  to  the  government  under  military  occupation,  I  have 
already  given  instructions  based  upon  the  instructions 
issued  by  the  President  in  the  case  of  the  Philippine 
Islands,  and  similar  to  those  issued  at  Santiago  de  Cuba. 

"Miles." 

When  the  soldiers  entered  Ponce  the  people  sang  the 
"Star-Spangled  Banner"  in  a  mixture  of  Spanish  and 
English,  and  every  time  this  tune  was  heard  the  police 
forced  everybody  to  remove  his  hat ! 

"The  natives  are,  upon  the  whole,  exceedingly 
friendly,"  says  a  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Sun, 
"and  almost  all  of  them  welcome  the  American  army. 
The  ilag  is  voluntarily  displayed  from  many  of  the 
principal  stores.  If  there  are  any  Spanish  flags  in  the 
city  they  are  kept  carefully  concealed.  In  the  stores 
American  goods  are  sometimes  to  be  found,  particularly 
in  hardware  stores.  All  fabrics,  foods,  and  luxuries, 
however,  have  been  imported  from  Europe,  mostly  from 
Spain.  The  Spanish  Government  forces  its  colonies  to 
import  from  home  by  levying  a  heavy  discriminating 
duty  upon  all  goods  not  Spanish.  Prices  are  very  high, 
notwithstanding  which  fact  business  is  brisk. 

The  soldiers  are  good  customers  and  buy   all   sorts  of 


112        HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US. 

curios  as  souvenirs  for  friends  at  home.  The  officers, 
too,  buy  considerable  quantities  of  light  underclothing. 
It  is  safe  to  say  that  there  has  never  before  been  as 
much  money  in  circulation  here.  All  the  merchants 
favor  annexation." 

In  an  article  in  the  National  Magazine  the  following 
is  said : 

"The  Porto  Ricans  have  taken  very  quickly  and  kind- 
ly to  American  occupation.  Some  have  been  so  quick  in 
changing  that  their  conversion  may  be  doubted.  For 
instance,  the  editor  of  La  Nueva  Era,  a  daily  which  in 
two  scraggy  leaves  purports  to  be  a  'journal  of  news, 
travel,  science,  literature  and  freedom,'  was  only  a  few 
weeks  ago  raving  at  the  '  American  Pigs' ;  while  now 
he  luxuriates  under  the  eagle's  aegis  and  writes  eulogies 
upon  Benjamin  Franklin,  George  Washington  and  Wil- 
liam McKinley.  Nor  is  he  alone  in  his  devotion  to  the 
American  idea.  The  small  boy  curses  his  neighbor  by 
calling  him  'un  Espanol,'  and  treats  you  with  disdain  if 
you  suggest  that  he  is  simply  a  poor  Porto  Rican.  'No, 
no,'  he  says,  pointing  at  himself.  'No,  Espanol,  Porto- 
Rican  Americano. '  His  motives  are  not,  however,  always 
of  the  sincerest,  for  the  boys  have  learned  a  trick  of  say- 
ing to  the  passing  Yankee,  'Viva  America,'  and  then 
putting  up  the  forefinger  with  this  half-asked  question, 
'one  cent?'  " 

A  brilliant  writer  in  one  of  the  magazines  says  that  in 
speaking  with  a  leading  merchant  of  Ponce,  he  asked 
him  if  the  people  were  really  so  delighted  with  the  new 
regime. 


HOW  THE  PORTO    RICANS  RECEIVED  US.        113 

"  'Well,  frankly,  no,'  he  replied,  'the  mass  will  wel- 
come any  change,  but  it  is  quite  a  question  whether  we 
shall  gain  by  annexation  to  the  United  States.  I 
have  lived  in  America.  Now  the  Spaniards  taxed  us 
heavily,  but  when  they  got  their  money  they  went  off 
and  let  us  alone.  The  custom-house  officers  stole  nearly 
everything  from  the  government.  But  then  we  have  yet 
to  see  how  the  American  custom-house  officers  will  act. 
Spain  knew  us  and  we  knew  Spain ;  there  were  few 
complaints.  The  church  tax  was  not  heavy,  and  I  never 
went  to  service.  We  do  not  want  the  negroes  enfran- 
chised till  they  are  better  educated.  Then  the  money 
question  is  going  to  be  bad  for  many  of  us  here.  We 
shall  suffer  dreadfully  if  the  American  government 
makes  our  dollar  worth  only  fifty  cents. ' 

"The  man  who  uttered  these  words  is  a  highly 
respected  citizen,  speaks  English  well,  and  understands 
America  as  well  as  Spain. 

"While  we  were  looking  over  the  town  we  came  upon 
the  jail  where  there  are  about  one  hundred  and  sixty 
Spanish  prisoners,"  the  same  writer  goes  on  to  say. 
' '  Many  of  these  men  were  selling  their  chevrons  and 
buttons  and  other  marks  of  rank  with  an  alacrity  worthy 
of  a  better  cause.  One  of  our  party,  however,  experi- 
enced a  chill  when  upon  asking  one  of  the  prisoners 
how  much  he  would  sell  his  chevrons  for  he  got  this 
reply,  'No,  por  el  dinero  en  globo.'  'Not  for  all  the 
money  on  earth." 

"There  spoke  the  true  spirit  of  Spain.  The  Spain 
which  sent  armies  to  Jerusalem,    patronized   Columbus, 


114        HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS    RECEIVED  US. 

conquered  the  half  of  America  with  a  handful  of  men — 
that  Spain,  with  all  her  black  tragedies,  never  sold  her 
chevrons.  Let  us  be  merciful  to  a  fallen  foe ;  at  least,  let 
us  be  truthful.  Thank  God  Spain's  power  in  this  hemis- 
phere is  crushed.  Yet  there  was  chivalry  in  the  old 
regime.  We  can  afford  to  be  magnanimous  now;  he  who 
bends  above  the  fallen  forever  stands  erect." 

On  August  4,  when  rumors  of  Spain's  submission 
reached  Porto  Rico,  the  editor  of  L,a  Nueva  Era  wound 
up  his  leading  editorial  with  these  words: 

"Hurra  por  la  anexion  a  los  Estados  Unidos!" 

He  also  gave  this  excellent  sanitary  advice  to  the  in- 
vading army : 

"TO  THE  BOYS! 

"Keep  away  from  fruit  of  every  description  and  Rum, 
if  you  wish  to  keep  your  health  in  this  climate." 

Moreover,  he  published  this: 

"It  is  an  undeniable  fact  that  wherever  the  American 
forces  have  landed  they  have  been  welcomed  by  the  peo- 
ple as  liberators  amid  the  greatest  enthusiasm. 

"A  new  era  has  dawned  for  this  country  and  is  the 
advent  of  happier  times. 

"The  spectre  of  suspicion  with  which  we  were  men- 
aced has  disappeared  forever.  We  are  now  sure  that  the 
air  we  breathe  is  ours  and    we  can  breathe  it  to  our  fill. 

"The  labor  accomplished  by  the  people  of  the  United 
States  in  taking  this  island,  and  we  say  accomplished, 
as  nothing  can  oppose  their  arms,  is  truly  a  labor  of 
humanity  and  redemption,  and  will  be  one  of  the  great- 
est glories  of  the  great  republic. 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS    RECEIVED  US.        115 

"'Let  us  render  thauks  to  the  Almighty  for  the  bless- 
ing, and  let  us  be  well  assured  that  Porto  Rico  has  be- 
fore it  a  future  of  unlimited  progress  and  well-being." 

The  most  rabid  Spanish  publication  of  all,  La  Demo- 
cracia,  issued  an  address  to  the  public  announcing  the 
demise  of  the  paper  under  its  former  name,  and  giving 
notice  that  it  would  reappear  under  the  name  of  the 
Courier  with  a  portion  printed  in  English. 

In  making  this  announcement  the  editor  promised  in 
the  new  edition: 

"  To  explain  our  ideas  of  brothership  and  harmony, 
answering  to  the  ideas  proclaimed  to  the  press  by  our 
new  military  authority,  such  as  that  the  American  army 
has  not  come  as  our  enemies,  but  with  the  purpose  of 
harmonizing  with  the  citizens  of  Porto  Rico.  We  are 
pleased  to  make  known  that  thase  ideas  have  been  re- 
spected, and  that  all  the  acts  of  the  forces  occupying 
our  city  have  been  characterized  by  the  most  exquisite 
correctness,  and»that  the  American  troops  fraternize  with 
our  people." 

At  all  events,  these  extracts  serve  to  show  the  trend 
of  public  opinion. 

' '  Mr.  Morrisey  in  speaking  of  the  Ponce  of  to-day  says 
that  'the  city  is  in  a  horrible  sanitary  condition,  and 
I  wondered  how  the  United  States  troops  stood  it.  I 
learned  there  had  been  an  improvement  since  the  sol- 
diers' arrival,  but  there  is  room  for  considerable  more,  I 
think.  I  went  to  the  Hotel  Ingleterra,  which  is  consid- 
ered the  best  one  in  Ponce,  and  engaged  a  room.  My 
first  meal  there  was  breakfast,  which   was  served  at  1 1 


Ii6        HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS    RECEIVED  US. 

o'clock.  My  meal  consisted  of  rice,  black  beans  and 
coffee,  all  of  which  was  fair.  At  dinner,  which  is  always 
served  at  6  o'clock,  I  had  the  same  fare.  I  tried  to  get 
eggs  after  the  first  day,  but  was  successful  on  only  two 
occasions,  and  then  had  to  pay  7  cents  each  for  them.  I 
learned  that  the  soldiers  had  made  a  corner  in  eggs  and 
had  bought  nearly  all  of  them,  which,  of  course,  made 
them  scarce  at  the  hotels  and  eating  places.  All  the 
water  used  in  the  hotel  is  filtered  through  a  huge  block 
of  brownstone  and  even  then  it  is  pretty  poor. ' 

"Mr,  Morrisey  visited  the  place  known  as  the  market 
in  the  heart  of  the  city  of  Ponce,  and  saw  some  very 
interesting  scenes.  A  few  of  the  better  class  of  the 
natives  visited  the  market  several  times  during  the  day 
and  made  their  purchases.  There  are  no  butchers  in  the 
city,  and  it  is  a  queer  sight,  Mr.  Morrisey  said,  to  see 
the  way  the  merchants  deliver  meat  to  the  purchasers. 
This  article  is  bought  by  the  penny  and  a  piece  about 
as  long  as  one's  finger  is  sold  for  2  cents.  The  meat  is 
not  cut  into  steaks  but  in  huge  lumps.  Another  thing 
in  reference  to  the  meat  is  that  it  is  all  killed  the  day 
before  used,  which,  of  course,  makes  it  very  tough.  The 
beer  on  the  island  is  kept  in  a  warm  place  without  any 
ice  and  is  served  in  that  state.  Most  of  the  beer  is  im- 
ported from  Germany,  and  it  is  only  recently  that 
American  beer  has  found  its  way  in  the  country.  This 
is  kept  in  bottles  and  when  it  is  served  to  a  customer  a 
small  piece  of  ice  is  dropped  into  it.  The  beer  drinker 
may  imagine  the  rest.  The  natives  do  not  use  much  of 
the  beer,  but  are  .satisfied  with  the  black  coffee  and  wine. 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS    RECEIVED  US.        I17 

* '  The  money  question  has  not  assumed  any  large  pro- 
portions in  Porto  Rico.  Very  little  money  is  in  circula- 
tion on  the  island.  The  better  class  of  the  natives  who 
are  supposed  to  have  some  money,  spend  most  of  their 
time  and  money  in  Spain,  and  the  stores  and  merchants, 
as  a  result,  do  not  get  much  of  their  money.  These 
stores  are  plentifully  supplied  with  goods,  but  there  is 
no  one  to  buy  them.  As  soon  as  the  United  States  sol- 
diers arrived  on  the  island  the  shopkeepers  saw  visions 
of  money  rolling  into  their  pockets.  The  price  on  every 
article  in  the  stores  was  increased,  and  what  a  native 
would  buy  for  ten  cents  the  American  would  be  com- 
pelled to  pay  one  dollar  for  the  same  article.  The  fare 
on  the  railroad  running  from  Ponce  to  Playo,  a  distance 
of  about  three  miles,  is  one  dollar  for  an  excursion  trip. 
The  natives  make  the  same  trip  for  twelve  cents.  Every 
scheme  that  can  be  thought  of  is  practiced  b}"  the  natives 
in  order  to  get  money  from  the  Americans.  In  the  street 
and  at  the  entrances  to  the  hotels  numerous  beggars  can 
be  found,  all  asking  for  money.  Nearly  all  the  inhabi- 
tants seemed  to  be  engaged  in  this  sort  of  work,  and  the 
sight  of  them  lounging  around,  even  inside  the  hotels, 
is  disgusting,  says  Mr.  Morrisey,  It  is  a  hard  matter  to 
get  them  to  work,  and  their  appearance  in  scarcely  any 
clothes  on  the  streets  is.a  sight. 

' '  The  women  go  about  the  roads  and  plantations  smok- 
ing large  cigars,  and  are  not  affected  in  any  manner  by 
the  weed.  Children  of  both  sexes  up  to  the  age  of  twelve 
years  are  permitted  to  roam  about  the  streets  naked, 
while  their  parents  are  not  much  better  off.     Nothing 


ii8        HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS   RECEIVED  US. 

but  a  skirt  is  worn  by  the  women  and  the  men  wear 
ragged  shirts  and  trousers.  Shoes  are  rarely  seen  in 
Porto  Rico  and  a  native  who  is  lucky  enough  to  have 
them  is  the  cynosure  of  all  eyes.  The  women  do  not 
know  what  silks  and  satins  are,  and,  it  seems,  are  not 
desirous  of  knowing.  When  night  comes  the  men  pre 
pare  themselves  for  bed.  This  is  not  hard  work,  and 
takes  very  little  time.  They  tie  their  heads  up  in  large 
towels  to  protect  them  from  the  sting  of  the  mosquito, 
and  then  lie  down  in  the  streets  or  roads  and  sleep. 
These  people  live  mainly  on  the  milk  from  the  cocoanut. 
Bread  is  a  stranger  to  them,  and  very  little  food  is  con- 
sumed by  them,,  except  the  wild  fruits  and  vegetables 
which  abound  in  the  outskirts  of  the  cities. 

' '  Mr.  Morrisey  said  the  soldiers  at  Ponce  were  in  a 
fairly  good  condition,  but  it  is  his  opinion  that  it  is  no 
fit  place  for  them  under  the  present  condition  of  the 
country.  He  said  when  the  soldier  is  taken  down  with 
typhoid  malaria  or  dysentery  he  loses  flesh  rapidly,  and 
he  can  never  regain  it  as  long  as  he  stays  in  that 
climate." 

All  this,  although  it  is  in  some  respects  different  from 
some  of  the  opinions  we  have  quoted,  is  very  interesting 
as  it  is  from  a  recent  eye  witness,  and  shows  how  Porto 
Rico  of  the  present  impressed  a  very  intelligent  man. 

The  fourth  town  to  surrender,  previous  to  the  news  of 
the  armistice  and  therefore  the  general  capitulation  of 
the  island,  was  Juan  Diaz.  There  was  a  report  that 
there  were  some  Spanish  soldiers  there,  and  four  com- 
panies of  the  Sixteenth  Pennsylvania  were  sent  to  find 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS    RECEIVED  US.         119 

them.  Couriers  announced  the  coming  of  the  Americans 
to  the  people  of  the  town,  and  a  brass  band  came  out  to 
meet  them.  The  vast  majority  of  the  citizens  assembled 
on  the  outskirts  of  the  town  and  as  the  American  volun- 
teers appeared  the  band  played  "Yankee  Doodle"  and 
other  patriotic  American  airs,  wdiile  the  people  cried: 
"Vivan  los  Americanos." 

A  large  number  had  presents  of  cigars,  cigarettes,  to- 
bacco and  various  fruits  which  tliey  loaded  upon  the  sol- 
diers, and  many  insisted  upon  taking  the  visitors  to 
their  homes.  Everywhere,  the  American  flag  was  wav- 
ing. In  the  public  square  the  mayor  made  a  speech,  in 
which  he  said  that  all  the  people  of  Juan  Diaz  were 
Americans  now,  and  the  crowd  shouted ; 

"Death  to  the  Spaniards!" 

While  speaking  of  Juan  Diaz,  perhaps  it  will  prove  of 
interest  to  insert  the  opinion  of  a  correspondent  of  one 
of  the  New  York  papers  as  to  the  women  of  that  town 
and  of  Porto  Rico  in  general.     He  says: 

"No  one  ever  walks  in  Porto  Rico.  The  mule's  the 
thing  here.  The  women  ride  a  great  deal.  The  better 
class  use  the  English  side  saddle,  although  a  few  prefer 
the  more  picturesque  and  safer,  but  less  graceful,  Span- 
ish saddle.  In  the  country  districts  the  pillion  is  occa- 
sionally employed,  while  among  the  lower  classes  many 
women  ride  astride  without  exciting  comment.  When 
the  natives  are  both  pretty  and  good  riders  they  display 
considerable  coquetry  in  the  saddle. 

' '  I  noticed  one  rider  near  Juan  Diaz  who  took  my  mind 
back  to  the  old  days  of  chivalry.     She  was  a  lovely  girl 


I20        HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS    RECEIVED  US, 

of  about  fifteen  or  sixteen,  with  a  face  like  a  Madonna 
and  a  figure  like  an  artist's  model.  One  little  foot  crept 
out  beneath  her  silk  riding  skirt,  and  to  my  surprise  it 
was  devoid  of  hosiery.  The  skin  was  like  polished  vel- 
vet, and  was  of  a  pinkish  gold  of  an  exquisite  tint.  It 
was  shod  with  a  slipper  of  satin  or  silk,  embroidered  in 
color  and  had  an  arched  instep  which  made  the  foot  all 
the  more  charming  by  its  setting. 

' '  The  time  to  see  the  women  at  their  best  is  on  Sunday 
morning,  when  they  ride  from  their  homes  to  mass  in 
the  nearest  church  or  cathedral.  On  one  Sunday  morn- 
ing, while  riding  leisurel}'  into  a  small  village  on  my 
way  to  this  town,  I  met  a  crowd  of  worshippers  on  their 
way  to  mass.  Nearly  all  the  women  were  on  mule  back, 
and  sat  or  lolled  as  if  they  were  in  an  easy  chair  in  their 
own  homes.  A  few,  probably  wealthier  than  the  others, 
or  else  delicate  in  health,  were  accompanied  by  little 
darky  boys,  who  held  over  them  a  parasol  or  an  um- 
brella. 

"On  Sunday  each  woman  wears  a  huge  rosary,  some- 
times so  large  as  to  be  uncomfortable.  I  saw  several  that 
were  so  unwieldy  that  they  went  over  the  shoulders  and 
formed  a  huge  line,  larger  indeed  than  a  string  of  sleigh 
bells.  These  are  ornamental  rosaries  and  are  not  used 
for  pra3'er.  Tlie  praying  rosary  is  as  small  and  dainty  as 
those  used  by  fashionable  women  in  our  own  Roman 
Catholic  churches.  Besides  the  fan  and  the  rosary  every 
woman  was  provided  with  a  neat  and  often  handsomely- 
bound  prayer  book  and  a  huge  lighted  cigar  or 
cigarette. 


HOW  THE  rORTO   RICANS    RECEIVED  US.         121 

''This  is  indeed  the  land  for  women  who  love  the  weed. 
A  few  smoke  cigarettes  and  pipes,  but  the  majority  like 
partajas,  perfectos,  Napoleons  and  other  rolls  of  the 
weed  larger  than  those  usually  seen  in  our  own  land. 
They  smoke  them  at  home  and  in  the  streets,  at  the 
table  or  on  the  balcony,  lying  in  hammocks,  or  lolling 
on  their  steeds,  and  only  desist  when  within  the  sacred 
walls  of  the  church.  The  moment  mass  is  over  and  they 
emerge  into  the  sunlight  the  first  thing  the  women  do  is 
to  light  a  fresh  cigar  and  then  climb  into  the  saddle. 

"They  make  a  beautiful  picture  upon  the  roads.  Im- 
agine an  intensely  blue  sky  above,  with  below  rich  green 
vegetables  and  startling  dashes  of  scarlet,  crimson,  Ver- 
million, orange  and  white  from  the  flowers  which  seem 
to  bloom  the  year  through,  setting  off  the  bright  hues 
of  the  costumes.  It  combines  the  picturesque  side  of 
New  Orleans  life,  of  Florida  scenery,  of  the  Maine  lake 
country,  and  of  the  New  Hampshire  hills." 

At  Guayama  there  was  even  a  greater  reception  than 
at  Juan  Diaz.  In  fact,  everywhere,  as  soon  as  the  people 
heard  of  the  landing  of  our  soldiers,  the  American  flag 
was  hoisted  and  kept  hoisted,  while  the  Spaniards  were 
driven  from  the  towns  where  soldiers  were  stationed. 

A  large  number  of  Porto-Rican  refugees  now  began  to 
return  to  the  island.  These  were  men  who  had  been  en- 
gaged in  revolution,  and  had  been  deported  by  the  Span- 
ish Government.  Their  progress  to  their  homes  was  a 
continual  ovation. 

The  returned  refugees  had  a  conference  with  the  lead- 
ing citizens  and  there  was  no  doubt   in   any  one's  mind 


122        HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS    RECEIVED  US. 

but  that  ninety  per  cent,  of  the  people  was  in  favor  oi 
annexation.  They  felt  that  the  United  States  was  their 
deliverer,  and  they  would  rather  join  the  American  Re- 
public than  have  self-government. 

There  was  also  a  conference  between  the  most  promi- 
nent citizens  of  Ponce,  and  Mr.  Hanna,  the  American 
consul  at  San  Juan. 

The  Porto  Ricans  had  views  which  they  wished  to 
have  presented  to  the  United  States,  and  were  anxious 
to  play  some  part  in  the  new  order  of  things  and  to  hold 
some  of  the  offices  themselves.  They  were  particularly 
desirous  to  know  about  the  American  school  system  and 
as  to  the  possibility  of  introducing  it  into  the  island. 
They  wished  that  their  children  should  learn  to  speak 
English.  Mr.  Hanna  explained  the  public  school  system 
of  the  United  States,  and  the  Porto  Ricans  were  greatly 
pleased  at  what  they  heard.  Then  they  again  brought 
up  the  question  of  how  they  could  participate  in  the  re- 
organization of  the  island. 

"Gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Hanna,  "the  best  thing  you 
can  do  is  to  get  together  and  find  out  just  what  you 
want.  You  have,  of  course,  very  good  ideas  as  to  what 
the  American  system  of  government  is.  You  no  doubt 
by  this  time  know  whether  you  desire  to  be  attached  to 
the  United  States  as  a  territory,  with  a  representative 
in  our  Congress.  You  may  differ  on  the  point  of  having 
Americans  for  your  own  officials  here  during  the  time 
that  the  government  that  is  to  prevail  here  is  being  put 
into  shape.  But  you  can  safely  leave  your  wishes  in  the 
hands  of  President  McKinley." 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US.        123 

A  New  York  Herald  correspondent  has  some  interest- 
ing things  to  say  as  to  the  new  Ponce,  a  town  which  is 
representative  of  the  entire  island: 

'  *  Ponce,  only  yesterday  the  base  for  our  military  in- 
vasion, is  to-day  the  American  capital  in  the  West 
Indies.  Ponce  is  deep  in  the  second  stage  of  political 
evolution. 

"Ponce  is  learning  the  English  language.  Ponce  is 
mastering  the  mysteries  of  American  money.  Ponce  is 
inquiiing  into  the  methods  of  American  politics.  Ponce 
is  preparing  to  abandon  the  church  schools  and  adopt 
our  system  of  education.  Papeti,  the  chambermaid  in 
the  Hotel  Francais,  has  alread}'  been  taught  to  say, 
"Vive  r Americano!"  Papeti's brother  was  shot  by  the 
Spanish  a  few  years  ago. 

"El  Capitan,"  the  head  waiter  at  the  Hotel  Ingla- 
terra,  has  already  mastered  one  hundred  words  of  Eng- 
lish, and  his  fortune  is  made.  Passing  down  the  street 
just  now  I  heard  a  Porto  Rican  mother  crooning  her 
naked  babe  to  sleep  to  the  tune  of  'Marching  Through 
Georgia.'  The  Porto  Ricans  think  that  'Marching 
Through  Georgia'  is  a  national  anthem. 

"As  I  write  the  advance  guard  of  the  American  pros- 
pector to  this  tropical  Klondike  of  ours  are  pouring  up 
the  broad  highway  from  the  play  a  to  the  town.  They 
came  on  the  Sylvia,  the  first  merchant  ship  to  reach 
Ponce  from  the  United  States  since  the  town  surrendered. 
They  seem  to  have  come  literally  by  hundreds. 

"I  saw  many  familiar  faces  among  the  newcomers. 

"Nearly  all  these  men  have  come  here  on  commercial 


124         HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US. 

enterprises.  Porto  Rico  is  a  fruitful  field.  Her^agricul- 
tural  resources,  taking  the  American  standard,  are  as 
little  developed  as  those  of  Ohio  seventy-five  years  ago. 
I  imagine  the  coffee  production  of  the  island  will  be 
doubled  in  two  years. 

' '  Much  American  capital  will  be  put  into  sugar, 
tobacco  and  fruits.  Many  of  these  men  are  inquiring 
about  estates  in  the  interior  that  can  be  purchased  or 
leased,  and  about  facilities  for  transportation  to  the  sea- 
board. This  means  the  building  of  railroads.  Banks  are 
also  to  be  opened  in  Ponce  under  our  national  banking 
law,  and  I  fancy  there  will  be  the  liveliest  sort  of  race 
between  rival  capitalists  as  to  who  shall  get  the  electric 
railway  franchise  for  the  city  of  Ponce. 

"The  leading  citizens  of  the  island  are  as  wideawake 
to  American  enterprise  as  are  these  eager  gentlemen  of 
the  pocketbook  who  came  on  the  Sylvia." 

Colonel  Hill  of  General  Wilson's  staff  was  appointed 
Collector  of  the  Port  of  Ponce,  and  he  went  very  care- 
fully into  the  subject  of  the  probable  resources  of  the 
island  and  what  the  new  tariff  .should  be. 

In  an  interview  with  the  Herald,  he  said: 

' '  Most  of  my  statistics  are  still  incomplete,  but  I  can 
give  you  a  few  facts,  which  will  unquestionably  be  of 
great  interest  to  the  business  men  of  the  States.  In 
Porto  Rico  everything  is  taxed,  and  most  articles  are 
taxed  in  several  different  ways.  There  is  an  impost  duty 
on  flour  of  $4.  a  barrel.  I  think  that  will  be  knocked  off 
at  once.  As  you  know,  this  island  paid  no  direct  money 
to  the  former  government  of  Spain.     Everything  in  the 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US.        125 

way  of  salaries,  pensions,  etc.,  is  paid  directly  out  of 
the  Custom  House.  The  commander  of  the  military 
forces  on  the  island  is  a  lieutenant-general,  sent  here 
from  Spain.  He  gets  an  enormous  salary.  Many  Spanish 
pensioners  of  prominence  and  rank  have  been  sent  to 
the  island,  and  these  pensions  are  paid  by  the  island. 
Dignitaries  of  the  church  and  priests  are  sent  here  in 
large  numbers.  They  are  paid  out  of  the  Custom  House. 

"Only  yesterday  I  had  an  application  from  the  widow 
of  a  Spanish  general,  who  is  pensioned,  for  the  payment 
of  her  usual  stipend.  I  had  to  take  that  matter  under 
advisement.  The  priests  here  in  Ponce  applied  for  their 
usual  salary  for  July.  This,  under  the  Spanish  law,  is  a 
fixed  charge.  The  matter  came  before  me  in  my  capacity 
of  judge-advocate  on  General  Wilson's  staff.  I  had  to 
report  that  inasmuch  as  we  were  operating  under  the 
Spanish  civil  law,  which  made  the  salaries  of  the  padres 
a  proper  payment  from  the  customs  funds,  the  money 
was  due  and  should  be  paid  or  else  the  Spanish  civil 
law  in  that  respect  should  be  annulled  or  suspended. 

"General  Wilson  refused  to  authorize  the  payment  of 
the  priests'  salaries,  and  the  matter  went  to  General 
Miles,  who  sustained  General  Wilson.  Now  here  is  a 
very  interesting  and  unprecedented  question.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  policy  it  might  be  well  to  pay  these  salaries  for 
the  present.  The  padres,  of  course,  the  next  time  they 
address  the  congregation  will  say :  '  Here  is  this  new 
American|^Government  which  you  welcomed  with  such 
pleasure  refusing  to  pay  your  priests.  You  thought  you 
were  going  to  be  relieved  of  taxation.   We  must  ask  you 


126         HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RECEIVED  US. 

to  go  into  your  pockets  and  pay  us  yourselves.  Thus 
you  have  an  additional  tax  placed  upon  you.'  " 

But  still  the  clergy,  as  a  rule,  were  in  favor  of  the 
United  States. 

Father  Janices,   a   well-known    and   most   intelligent 

priest,  had  this  to  say  in  regard  to  the  attitude   of   the 

Catholic  Church  in  Porto  Rico  toward  the  United 
States : 

' '  We  are  neither  cowards  nor  liars.  We  do  not  deny 
that  we  have  always  been  loyal  Spanish  subjects,  but  it 
is  the  duty  of  the  Church  to  save  souls  and  not  to  min- 
gle in  international  quarrels. 

"With  all  our  hearts  we  welcome  the  Americans. 
Your  constitution  protects  all  religions.  We  ask  only 
for  the  protection  of  our  Church.  The  Archbishop  of 
Porto  Rico  is  now  in  Spain,  and  the  Vicar  General  of 
San  Juan  is  acting  head  of  the  Church  in  the  island. 
But  we  no  longer  look  to  him  as  our  ecclesiastical  head; 
but  as  soon  as  possible  we  shall  communicate  with  Car- 
dinal Gibbons  and  we  await  his  wishes. 

"Should  any  American  soldier  desire  the  administra- 
tions of  a  priest,  they  always  shall  be  at  his  service.  We 
have  determined  to  become  loyal  Americans." 

Moreover,  on  September  23,  Captain  Gardner,  in 
company  of  General  Wilson,  called  upon  the  President 
and  made  a  report  in  which  he  elaborated  upon  the  rela- 
tion of  the  Church  to  the  government.  He  stated  that 
while  a  large  majority  of  the  Porto  Ricans  were  Cath- 
olics, by  profession,  they  were  not  offensively  zealous. 
He  placed  the  number  of  priests  at  240,  and  the  annual 


HOW  THE  PORTO  RICANS  RFXEIVED  US.  127 

cost  to  the  public  treasury  of  their  support  at  about 
$120,000  in  American  money. 

Colonel  Gardner,  in  addition  to  his  report,  also  pre- 
sented to  President  McKinley,  an  address  signed  by 
many  of  the  leading  Porto  Ricans.  The  signers  ex- 
pressed their  pleasure  at  the  prospect  of  becoming  citi- 
zens of  the  United  States,  and  announced  their  hope 
that  the  Porto  Rican  people  might  some  day  become 
worthy  to  organize  a  State  of  the  Union. 

In  this  hope  we  are  sure  all  Americans  will  most 
heartily  join. 


t28  OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

OUR   CI.AIM    TO   PORTO   RICO. 

One  great  question  raised  by  the  recent  war  was  that 
of  territorial  expansion,  and  this  question  called  forth 
many  expressions  of  opinion  both  for  and  against. 

There  is  no  doubt,  however,  but  that  Porto  Rico  is 
ours  by  the  right  of  conquest,  and  that  it  would  be  a 
crime  from  every  point  of  view  for  us  not  to  retain  it. 

That  we  shall  retain  it,  too,  now  seems  certain. 

Let  us  now,  in  the  first  place,  look  back  and  see  what 
two  of  our  most  prominent  statesmen  have  said  in  the 
past.     They  may  be  looked  upon  almost  as  prophets. 

The  idea  of  territorial  expansion  is  not  a  new  one.  In 
fact,  it  dates  back  half  a  century,  and  the  thought  of 
this  expansion  has  been  silently  hatched  ever  since. 

In  1846,  William  H.  Seward,  afterward  Secretary  of 
State  under  the  administration  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
published  an  open  letter  under  the  title,  "We  Should 
Carry  Out  Our  Destiny." 

To  carry  out  that  destiny,  said  Mr.  Seward  in  this 
letter,  the  United  States  should  prepare  themselves  for 
their  mission  by  getting  rid  of  the  Old  World  which 
still  continued  with  ideas  of  another  age  upon  portions 
of  the  American  soil. 

In  the  same  letter  Mr.  Seward  also  said  that  the  mon- 
archies of  Europe  could  have  neither  peace  nor  truce  as 


OUR  CLAIM  TO  TORTO  RICO.  129 

long  as  there  remained  to  them  one  colony  upon  this 
continent. 

This  Mr.  Seward  called  buying  out  the  foreigners.  In 
1S46  he  counted  the  ruler  of  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico  among 
the  foreigners  which  should  sell  out  their  possessions  to 
the  United  States. 

It  was  he  who  during  his  term  of  office  purchased 
Alaska  from  the  Czar  of  Russia  for  the  sum  of  $7,200,- 
000.  He  also  negotiated  for  the  acquisition  of  the  Danish 
Antilles,  but  this  project  fell  through,  chiefly  for  the 
reason  that  at  that  time  the  President  was  opposed  to  it. 

In  politics  Mr.  Seward  favored  a  system  which  he 
compared  to  the  ripe  pear  that  detaches  itself  and  falls 
into  your  hand. 

One  thing  seemed  to  him  certain,  and  that  was  that 
the  United  States  could  not  help  annexing  by  force  the 
people  who  would  be  too  slow  to  come  to  them  of  their 
own  free  will. 

"I  abhor  war,"  he  wrote.  "I  would  not  give  one 
single  human  life  for  any  portion  of  the  continent  which 
remains  to  be  annexed ;  but  I  cannot  get  rid  of  the  con- 
viction that  popular  passion  for  territorial  aggrandize- 
ment is  irresistible.  Prudence,  justice  and  even  timidity 
may  restrain  it  for  a  time,  but  its  force  will  be  aug- 
mented by  compression." 

It  was  a  half  century  before  the  explosion  occurred, 
but  when  it  came  its  echoes  resounded  all  over  the  world, 
carrying  joy  to  some  and  fear  to  others,  fear  of  this 
young  giant  of  the  New  World. 

Again  in  1852,   in  a  speech    made    before   the   Senate 


I30  OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO. 

upon  the  question  of  American  commerce  in  the  Pacific, 
Mr.  Seward  thus  addressed  his  colleagues: 

"The  discovery  of  this  continent  and  of  those  islands 
and  the  organization  upon  their  soil  of  societies  and 
governments  have  been  great  and  important  events. 
After  all,  they  are  merely  preliminaries,  a  preparation 
by  secondary  incidents,  in  comparison  with  the  sublime 
result  which  is  about  to  be  consummated — the  junction 
of  the  two  civilizations  upon  the  coast  and  in  the 
islands  of  the  Pacific.  There  certainl}'  never  happened 
upon  this  earth  any  purely  human  event  which  is  com- 
parable to  that  in  grandeur  and  in  importance.  It  will 
be  followed  by  the  levelling  of  social  conditions  and  by 
the  re-establishment  of  the  unity  of  the  human  family. 
We  now  see  clearly  why  it  did  not  come  about  sooner 
and  why  it  is  coming  now." 

At  a  reception  given  to  his  honor  in  Paris,  just  after 
the  close  of  the  Franco-Prussian  war,  Mr.  Seward  found 
himself  the  centre  of  a  group,  mostly  composed  of  5'oung 
Americans. 

He  had  just  almost  completed  a  tour  around  the 
world,  and  in  answer  to  a  question  as  to  what  had  im- 
pressed him  most  during  his  travels,  he  answered  prac- 
tically as  follows: 

' '  Boys,  the  fact  is  the  Americans  are  the  onl}'  nation 
that  has  and  understands  liberty.  With  us  a  man  is  a 
man,  absolutely  free  and  politicall)'  equal  with  all,  with 
special  privileges  for  none.  Every  one  has  a  chance, 
whereas,  wherever  I  have  been  I  was  impressed  with 
the  subjugation  and  oppression  of  the  people.     I  had  all 


OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO.  131 

my  life  talked  in  public  and  private  of  the  greatness  of 
our  mission  of  civilization  and  progress,  of  the  ideas  we 
represented,  and  the  lessons  we  were  teaching  the  world, 
but  I  never  realized  how  true  it  was  that  we  were  of  all 
others  the  representatives  of  human  progress.  Now  I 
know  it.  I  am  sure  now,  from  what  I  have  myself  seen, 
that  nothing  I  have  ever  said  or  others  have  said,  as  to 
the  destiny  of  our  country  was  exaggerated.  I  am  an 
old  man  now  and  may  not  see  it,  but  some  of  you  boys 
may  live  to  see  American  ideas  and  principles  and  civiliz- 
ation spread  around  the  world,  and  lift  up  and  regenerate 
mankind." 

The  opinion  of  another  old-time  statesman,  given 
some  quarter  of  a  century  ago,  is  of  vivid  interest  to- 
day. 

In  1872,  when  the  Geneva  Convention  was  holding  its 
deliberations,  Mr.  William  M.  Evarts  spoke  words  of 
wisdom  to  a  company  of  distinguished  guests  at  a 
luncheon  given  by  him  at  the  house  in  which  he  was 
then  living. 

Among  others  present  were  Charles  Francis  Adams, 
Caleb  Cushing,  Morrison  R.  Waite,  afterward  Chief 
Justice;  J.  Bancroft  Davis,  Charles  C.  Beaman,  and 
others  of  the  American  Commission. 

What  Mr.  Evarts  said  was  in  substance  as  follows: 

"Gentlemen,  God  has  America  in  his  direct  keeping, 
and  lets  it  work  out  its  destinies  in  accordance  with 
His  own  wishes  and  for  His  own  purpose.  When  the 
time  came  and  Europe  needed  an  outlet  for  its  surplus 
energy,  God  let  down  the  bars  and  America  was  discov- 


132  OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO. 

ered.  Then  little  colonies  of  enterprising  and  progressive 
men,  seeking  freedom  from  troubles  and  oppressions  of 
their  native  land,  founded  homes  along  the  Atlantic  coast. 
He  had  let  down  the  bars  again  for  his  own  purposes, 
Thes2  men  struggled  and  fought  and  progressed  in 
civilization  and  liberty  until  the  time  came  when 
again  the  bars  were  let  down  and  we  had  the  Revolu- 
tion, and  the  colonies  became  a  nation.  Again  the  bars 
went  down,  and  then  came  the  Mexican  war,  giving  the 
nation  the  room  necessary  for  its  expansion,  the  space 
necessary  for  the  homes  of  the  millions  from  the  Old 
World  who  sought  the  freedom  of  the  New.  From 
Atlantic  to  Pacific  that  little  fringe  of  people  of  the 
colonial  times  had  evolved  until  they  were  a  great 
nation.  We  needed  the  precious  metals,  and  gold  and 
silver  were  found  sufficient  for  our  purposes.  God  had 
let  down  the  bars.  But  one  thing  remained,  one  canker 
and  sore,  one  great  evil  which  threatened  and  worried 
and  troubled,  but  God  in  His  own  good  time  again  let 
down  the  bars  and  it  was  forever  swept  away,  for  He 
allowed  the  rebellion.  He  gave  humanity  and  justice 
and  right  the  victory.  He  restored  the  Union,  He  will 
heal  the  sores.  He  \t7ill  lead  the  people  to  its  final  des- 
tiny as  the  advance  guard  of  civilization,  progress  and 
the  upbuilding  and  elevation  of  mankind,  and  in  good 
time  the  bars  will  be  again  let  down  for  the  benefit  of 
humanity — when  or  why  we  know  not,  but  He  knows." 
In  the  light  of  recent  events,  the  utterances  of  these 
two  great  men  are  certainly  deserving  of  the  utmost  con- 
sideration.    Both  of  them  really  seem  to  be  seers,  who, 


OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO.  133 

ftom  their  observations  of  the  past,  saw  visions  of  the 
future  for  the  native  land  they  loved  so  well. 

The  Paris  Figaro,  in  a  remarkable  article,  says  that, 
willingly  or  forcibly,  America  must  belong  to  the  Ameri- 
cans. The  New  World  must  gird  up  its  loins  and  be 
ready  to  fulfill  its  mission.  And  this  must  be  done  by 
force  when  persuasion  is  not  sufiScient.  And  wdien  the 
Americans  shall  have  rejoined  Europe  in  some  portion 
of  Asia,  concludes  the  Figaro,  and  closed  the  ring  of 
white  civilization  around  the  globe,  will  they  stop  or 
can  the}'  stop?  That  is  the  secret  of  the  future.  Its  solu- 
tion will  depend  upon  what  they  will  find  before  them — ■ 
a  Europe  torn  and  divided,  or,  as  it  has  been  said,  the 
United  States  of  Europe.  At  all  events,  they  wnll  have 
the  right  to  be  proud,  because  they  will  have  carried  out 
their  destiny. 

Now  to  turn  to  an  opinion  by  an  Englishman,  and  be 
it  remembered  that  England  stood  by  us  in  a  remarkable 
way  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  Spanish-American 
war  and  undoubtedly  prevented  the  other  European 
nations  from  interfering. 

The  opinion  we  are  about  to  give  is  from  the  pen  of 
Mr.  Henry  Norman,  the  special  commissioner  of  the 
Eondon  Chronicle. 

Among  other  things,  Mr.  Norman  says  in  an  article 
entitled  "A  War-Made  New  America"  : 

'  'The  vision  of  a  new  Heaven  and  a  new  earth  is  still 
unfulfilled,  but  there  is  a  new  America.  The  second 
American  Revolution  has  occurred,  and  its  consequences 
may  be  as  great  as  those  of   the   first.     The   American 


134  OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO. 

people  are  as  sensitive  to  emotional  or  intellectual  stimu- 
lus as  a  photographic  film  is  to  light,  but  they  are  also 
to  a  remarkable  degree,  a  people  of  second  thoughts. 
Their  nerves  are  quick,  but  their  convictions  are  slow. 
The  apparent  change  was  so  great  and  so  unexpected 
that  at  first  I  could  not  bring  myself  to  believe  in  its 
realit}'  or  its  endurance.  Unless  all  signs  fail,  however, 
or  I  fail  to  interpret  them,  the  old  America,  the  America 
obedient  to  the  traditions  of  the  founders  of  the  republic, 
is  passing  away,  and  a  new  America,  an  America  stand- 
ing armed,  alert  and  exigent  in  the  arena  of  the  world- 
struggle,  is  taking  its  place. 

'  'The  change  is  three-fold: 

"I.  The  United  States  is  about  to  take  its  place 
among  the  great  armed  powers  of  the  world. 

"II.  By  the-  seizure  and  retention  of  territory  not  only 
not  contiguous  to  the  borders  of  the  republic,  but  remote 
from  them,  the  United  States  becomes  a  colonizing 
nation,  and  enters  the  field  of  international  rivalries. 

"III.  The  growth  of  good  will  and  mutual  under- 
standing between  Great  Britain  and  the  United  States 
and  the  settlement  of  all  pending  disputes  between 
Canada  and  America,  now  virtually  assured,  constitute 
a  working  union  of  the  English-speaking  people  against 
the  rest  of  the  world  for  common  ends,  whether  any 
formal  agreement  is  reached  or  not." 

Mr.  Norman  goes  on  to  say,  after  speaking  of  the 
possible  American  army  and  navy  of  the  present  and  the 
future : 

"And  look  at  the   display   of   American   patriotism. 


OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO.  135 

When  the  volunteers  were  summoned  by  the  President 
they  walked  on  the  scene  as  if  they  had  been  waiting  in 
the  wings.  They  were  subjected  to  a  physical  examina- 
tion as  searching  as  that  of  a  life  insurance  companj'.  A 
man  was  rejected  for  two  or  three  filled  teeth.  They 
came  from  all  ranks  of  life.  Young  lawyers,  doctors, 
bankers,  well-paid  clerks  are  marching  by  thousands  in 
the  ranks.  The  first  surgeon  to  be  killed  at  Guantanamo 
left  a  New  York  practice  of  $10,000  a  year  to  volunteer. 
As  I  was  standing  on  the  steps  of  the  Arlington  Hotel 
one  evening  a  tall,  thin  man,  carrying  a  large  suitcase, 
walked  out  and  got  on  the  street  car  for  the  railway 
station  on  his  way  to  Tampa.  It  was  John  Jacob  Astor, 
the  possessor  of  a  hundred  millions  of  dollars.  Theodore 
Roosevelt's  rough  riders  contain  a  number  of  the  smart- 
est young  men  in  New  York  society.  A  Harvard  class- 
mate of  mine,  a  rising  young  lawyer,  is  working  like  a 
laborer  at  the  Brooklyn  Navy  Yard,  not  knowing  when 
he  may  be  ordered  to  Cuba  or  Manila.  He  is  a  naval 
reserve  man  and  sent  in  his  application  for  any  post 
'from  the  stoke  hole  upward.'  The  same  is  true  of  wo- 
men. When  I  called  to  say  good-bj'  to  Mrs.  John  Addi- 
son Porter,  the  wife  of  the  Secretary  to  the  President, 
whose  charming  hospitality  I  had  enjoyed,  she  had  gone 
to  Tampa  to  ship  as  a  nurse  on  the  Red  Cross  steamer 
for  the  coast  of  Cuba.  And  all  this,  be  it  remembered, 
is  for  a  war  in  which  the  country  is  not  in  the  remotest 
danger,  and  when  the  ultimate  summons  of  patriotism 
is  unspoken.  Finally,  consider  the  reference  to  the  war 
loan.  A  New  York  syndicate  offered  to  take  half  of  it  at 


136  OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO. 

a  premium  which  would  have  given  the  Government  a 
clear  profit  of  $1 ,000,000.  But  the  loan  was  wisely  offered 
to  the  people  and  the  small  investor  gets  all  he  can  buy 
before  the  capitalist  is  even  permitted  to  invest.  And 
from  Canada  to  the  Gulf,  from  Long  Island  to  Seattle, 
the  money  of  the  people  is  pouring  in." 

Mr.  Norman  concludes  his  article  with  these  pregnant 
words,  words  which  will  force  every  man  of  any  brains 
whatever  to  pause  and  think : 

' '  Here,  then,  is  the  new  America  in  one  aspect — 
armed  for  a  wider  influence  and  a  harder  fight  than  any 
she  has  envisaged  before.  And  what  a  fight  she  will 
make!  Dewey,  with  his  dash  upon  Manila;  Hobson  and 
his  companions,  going  quietly  to  apparently  certain 
death,  and  ships  offering  the  whole  muster  roll  as  volun- 
teers to  accompany  him ;  Rowan,  with  his  life  in  his 
hand  at  every  minute  of  his  journey  to  Gomez  and  back, 
worse  than  death  awaiting  him  if  caught;  Blue,  making 
his  70-mile  reconnoissance  about  Santiago;  Whitney, 
with  compass  and  notebook  in  pocket,  dishwashing  his 
perilous  way  round  to  Porto  Rico — this  is  the  old  dar- 
ing of  our  common  race.  If  the  old  lion  and  the  young 
lion  should  ever  go  hunting  side  by  side !" 

Mr.  Norman  wisely  leaves  his  last  sentence  unfin- 
ished. For  no  man  can  predict  what  the  result  would  be. 
Would  it  be  the  subjugation  of  the  entire  world  to  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  ? 

After  considering  what  the  French    and   the   English 
have  to  say,  now  let  us  turn   to   the   utterances   of   the  ■ 
Hon.  Andrew  H.  Green,  who  spoke  purely  in  the  inter- 


OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO.  137 

I 
ests  of  a  private  citizen,  one  who  desired   the   retention 

of  the  territory  acquired  by  the  American  Government 
solely  because  he  wished  that  the  people  of  the  United 
States  should  not  underestimate  the  value  of  their  grand 
opportunities  for  national  enrichment. 

' '  War  with  Spain, ' '  said  Mr.  Green,  in  the  beginning  of 
his  interview  in  the  Sun,  "was  declared  by  the  author- 
ized authorities,  whether  wisel}'  or  otherwise,  it  is  not 
now  of  much  profit  to  discuss.  It  has  been  prosecuted 
with  vigor  and  brought  to  a  successful  issue  with  a  dis- 
patch unprecedented  in  conflicts  of  equal  magnitude. 
What  shall  be  done  with  its  results?  What,  in  this  age 
of  enlightenment  and  progress,  shall  we  do  with  the  ter- 
ritories and  with  their  peoples  and  property  that  the 
fate  of  war  has  placed  under  our  control  and  guardian- 
ship?" 

Mr.  Green  concludes  his  interview  as  follows: 
"As  occasion  offered  heretofore  the  American  people 
have  insisted  upon  acquiring  and  holding  territory  when 
the  interests  of  the  country  required  it.  Looking  at  all 
the  precedents,  at  the  present  situation,  at  the  signs 
and  needs  of  the  times,  there  is  but  little  room  to  doubt 
that  the  permanent  retention  of  all  territory  acquired 
from  Spain  will,  in  the  interest  of  humanity  and  duty, 
be  demanded  with  equal  firmness.  We  shall  go  on  in  the 
same  course  of  expansion  which  we  have  pursued  from 
our  earliest  historj'  as  an  independent  nation.  We  have 
'hoisted  the  mainsail'  of  the  ship  of  state  and  started 
her  about  the  world.  While  heeding  Washington's 
warnings  and  the  popular  interpretation  of   the  Monroe 


138  OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO. 

doctrine  to  keep  the  people  of  other  nations  from  get- 
ting a  foothold  on  this  continent,  we  shall  not  pervert 
their  spirit  by  stubbornly  refusing  to  improve  an  oppor- 
tunity to  extend  and  increase  our  power  and  our  com- 
merce. Every  extension  of  our  territory  hitherto  made 
has  been  resisted  by  a  spirit  the  same  in  essence  as  that 
which  now  timidly  opposes  our  improving  the  wonder- 
ful opportunities  put  in  our  hands  by  the  happy  fortune 
of  war;  but  such  opposition  has  failed  of  its  purpose  in- 
variably hitherto,  and  it  will  fail  now  with  the  Ameri- 
can people.  The  sacrifices  of  the  war  will  not  have  been 
in  vain  and  the  victories  won  by  the  valor  of  our  navy 
and  army  will  not  fail  of  their  legitimate  and  well- 
earned  points." 

We  are  a  practical  people.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
about  that,  but  still  we  are  occasionally  moved  by  senti- 
ment, as  when  we  undertook  to  free  Cuba  from  oppres- 
sion, but  at  the  bottom  of  every  national  action  there  is 
a  sound  practical  idea. 

It  was  a  pure  and  unselfish  sentiment,  however,  that 
impelled  us  to  prevent  the  extermination  of  the  people 
of  Cuba,  a  country  so  near  to  our  own  doors,  and  to  de- 
mand for  them  by  force  of  arms,  the  freedom  and  inde- 
pendence which  was  and  is  most  unquestionably  their 
right. 

With  Cuba  freed,  the  rule  of  Spaniards  in  Porto  Rico 
would  be  both  absurd  and  dangerous.  It  would  be  a 
menace  to  the  perpetual  peace  between  Spain  and  the 
United  States,  which  the  latter  are  determined  on  for 
the  future. 


OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO.  139 

Moreover,  as  we  have  seen,  Porto  Rico  wishes  most 
strongl)'  to  become  an  integral  portion  of  the  Union,  and 
we  desire  to  receive  her  as  such. 

The  rule  of  common  sense  should  be  applied,  and  both 
sentiment  and  practicality  are  united  in  calling  for  the 
conditions  which  the  American  Government  has  de- 
manded as  to  the  former  Spanish  possessions  in  the 
Western  Hemisphere. 

The  war  against  Spain  was  inevitable,  was  just  and 
necessary  for  the  sake  of  humanity  and  the  progress  of 
the  world.  Both  our  army  and  navy  have  shown  glori- 
ous bravery  and  heroism,  and  their  marvelous  achieve- 
ments must  not  be  allowed  to  bring  forth  no  results. 

By  the  fortunes  of  war  a  great  responsibility  has 
been  placed  in  the  hands  of  the  United  States,  and  it 
would  be  criminal  to  shirk  in  any  respect  this  responsi- 
bility. We  must  not  give  back  to  Spain  any  portion  of 
the  earth  in  which  to  continue  her  abominable  misrule. 
Let  the  United  States  move  forward  to  its  manifest 
destiny. 

In  a  powerful  editorial  the  New  York  Sun  declares 
that  our  success  will  make  for  the  world's  peace.  We 
alone  were  the  nation  to  free  Cuba  and  the  other  Span- 
ish colonies.  No  one  of  the  European  powers  could  have 
come  forward  to  the  rescue  of  the  colonies  without  pro- 
voking the  enmity  and  jealousy  of  the  other  powers.  If 
we  had  neglected  to  discharge  our  duty,  then  that  duty 
would  probably  have  fallen  to  a  commission  of  the 
European  nations.  The  consequence  would  have  been 
that  Spain  would  have  been  superseded   in   the  Spanish 


I40  OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO. 

Antilles  by  a  strong  European  power,  which  would  have 
led  sooner  or  later  to  a  partition  of  Spanish  America. 
The  United  States  alone  could  upset  Spanish  colonial 
rule  without  exciting  an  uncontrollable  outburst  of  envy 
and  greed  in  Europe,  and  occasion  a  general  scramble 
for  the  spoils  of  the  New  World. 

Neither  Cuba  nor  Porto  Rico  could  have  been  kept  by 
Spain  with  any  assurance  of  the  general  safety  of 
nations.  So  long  as  the  so-called  mother  country  exer- 
cised any  power  there,  both  the  islands  would  have  been 
firebrands,  which,  if  not  aflame,  would  surely  have  been 
smouldering. 

The  Sun  concludes  its  editorial  with  these  words: 
"It  is,  in  a  word,  Tor  the  interest  of  the  whole  civil- 
ized world  that  all  of  Spain's  colonies,  with  the  possible 
exception  of  the  Canaries,  should  be  turned  over  to  us. 
It  is  for  the  world's  interests  because,  in  her  hands, 
they  always  have  been,  and  always  would  be,  a  menace 
to  the  general  peace.  If  this  be  true,  and  that  it  is  can- 
not be  gainsaid,  the  sooner  the  transfer  is  made  the  bet- 
ter. The  fire,  which  now  is  localized,  should  be  put  out 
quickly,  lest  it  spread.  A  thousand  accidents,  contin- 
gencies, inadvertencies,  may  lead  to  the  very  complica- 
tions which  all  of  the  European  powers,  except  Spain, 
are  anxious  to  avoid.  We  except  Spain  because,  in  put- 
ting off  the  evil  day  and  in  postponing  submission  to 
the  terms  which  our  duty  to  mankind  compels  us  to  im- 
pose, she  can  have  no  other  hope,  no  other  purpose, 
than  to  bring  about  such  international  entanglements  as 
may  cause  a  general  war.     Spain  alone  has  anything   tc 


OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO.  141 

gain  from  such  a  contest ;  in  it  she  would  at  least  have 
allies,  and  would  expect  to  see  her  thirst  for  revenge 
upon  us  gratified.  The  great  powers  of  Europe,  however, 
do  not  mean  to  risk  an  oecumenical  convulsion  for  the 
sake  of  a  decadent  monarchy,  which,  considered  as  the 
trustee  of  colonies,  has  been  tried  in  the  balance  and 
found  wanting.  They  recognize  that,  in  seeking  to 
evade  the  sentence  of  rigorous  isolation  which  the  con- 
science of  mankind  has  passed  upon  her,  she  is  jeopard- 
izing the  peace  of  the  world.  For  that  reason  they  are 
exerting  and  will  continue  to  exert  all  the  means  of  moral 
pressure  at  their  command  to  induce  the  Spaniards  to 
accept  promptly  such  terms  as  our  Government  may 
offer." 

The  people  of  the  United  States,  after  the  armistice 
was  declared,  were  united  in  one  thing,  and  that  was, 
that  apart  from  the  question  of  indemnity,  the  one  condi- 
tion of  peace,  final  and  unvariable,  would  in  the  nature 
of  the  case  be  this: 

The  surrender  and  cession  to  the  United  States,  now 
and  forever,  of  all  Spain's  possessions  in  the  western 
waters  of  both  Atlantic  and  Pacific. 

The  fortune  of  a  war  begun  for  the  liberation  of  one 
people  has  put  it  into  the  power  of  the  United  States  to 
liberate  several  peoples.  All  this  territory,  which 
is  ours  by  right,  must  henceforth  be  consecrated  to 
freedom. 

Colonel  Alexander  McClure,  in  an  address  at  the  lay- 
ing of  the  cornerstone  of  the  new  State  Capitol  of  Penn- 
sylvania, expressed  most  eloquently   the  true  American 


142  OUR  CLAIM  TO  PORTO  RICO. 

feeling  in  regard  to  the  possessions  which  our  naval  and 
militar)'  prowess  won  from  Spain : 

"The  same  supreme  power  that  demanded  this  war 
will  demand  the  complete  fulfillment  of  its  purpose.  It 
will  demand,  in  tones  which  none  can  misunderstand 
and  which  no  power  or  party  can  be  strong  enough  to 
disregard,  that  the  United  States'  flag  shall  never  be 
furled  in  any  Spanish  province  where  it  has  been 
planted  by  the  heroism  of  our  army  and  nav)'. 

"Call  it  imperialism  if  you  will;  but  it  is  not  the  im- 
perialism that  is  inspired  by  the  lust  of  conquest. 
It  is  the  higher  and  nobler  imperialism  that  voices 
the  sovereign  power  of  this  nation  and  demands 
the  extension  of  our  flag  and  authority  over  the 
provinces  of  Spain,  solely  that  'government  of  the  peo- 
ple by  the  people,  and  for  the  people  shall  not  perish 
from  the  earth.' 

"Such  is  the  imperialism  that  has  become  interwoven 
with  the  destiny  of  our  great  free  Government,  and  it 
will  be  welcomed  by  our  people  regardless  of  party  lines, 
and  will  command  the  commendation  of  the  enlightened 
powers  of  the  Old  World,  as  it  rears,  for  the  guidance 
of  all,  the  grandest  monuments  of  freedom  as  the  pro- 
claimed policy  and  purpose  of  the  noblest  Government 
ever  reared  by  a  man  or  blessed  by  Heaven." 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  143 


CHAPTER  XII. 

WHAT    the;     possession   op     PORTO    RICO   WILL   MEAN. 

The  heading  of  this  chapter  presents  a  most  difficult 
problem  at  this  time.  It  would  require  an  inspired 
prophet  to  answer  the  question,  and  all  that  we  can  do 
is  to  look  at  it  as  dispassionately  as  possible,  and  to 
show  the  opinions  of  those  who  are  more  or  less  in- 
formed upon  the  subject.  From  these  opinions  the 
reader  must  of  necessity  draw  his  own  conjectures. 

Of  course,  from  the  very  nature  of  conditions  the  land 
is  at  the  present  time  of  writing  in  a  most  unsettled 
state,  from  a  political,  commercial  and  social  point  of 
view. 

A  new  element  has  entered  into  the  lives  of  the  Porto 
Ricans,  and  this  new  element  naturally  brings  with  it 
an  unknown  future. 

The  Spaniards  and  Porto  Ricans  have  but  little  idea 
of  political  tolerance.  They  are  enemies,  now,  and  both 
seem  to  think  that  the  opposite  party  is  to  be  abused, 
persecuted  and  even  tortured. 

Many  of  the  Porto  Ricans,  on  the  word  of  a  compe- 
tent authority,  believe  that  violence  to  the  persons  or 
propert}'  of  the  Spaniards  will  be  acceptable  to  the 
Americans.  The  Spaniards,  sharing  this  belief,  live  in  a 
constant  state  of  terror,  fearing  for  their  possessions 
and  even  for  their  lives. 


144  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

The  withdrawal  to  an  extent  of  the  Spanish  troops 
gave  the  guerillas  full  license,  and  they  burned  a  num- 
ber of  plantations  before  our  forces  were  put  in  charge. 

Both  natives  and  Spanish,  it  might  be  said,  were  busy 
in  cutting  each  other's  throats.  The  people  became  more 
or  less  terrorized,  and  begged  for  American  protection. 

About  the  first  of  September,  Major-General  Wilson 
met  at  dinner  a  large  number  of  prominent  islanders, 
and  in  response  to  a  toast,  he  made  a  rather  long  speech. 
As  this  speech  was  and  is  of  great  interest,  we  make  no 
apology  for  reproducing  almost  in  full  here. 

General  Wilson  said: 

"The  great  Republic,  unlike  the  governments  of 
Europe,  has  no  subjects.  It  extends  its  rights  and 
privileges  freely  and  equally  to  all  men,  regardless  of 
race  or  color  or  previous  condition,  who  reside  within 
its  far-reaching  dominions.  It  makes  citizens  of  all  who 
forswear  their  allegiance  to  foreign  Powers,  princes  and 
potentates,  and  promise  henceforth  to  bear  true  faith 
and  allegiance  to  the  United  States. 

'  'The  expulsion  of  the  Spanish  power  from  your  beau- 
tiful and  long-suffering  island  and  the  hoisting  of  the 
American  flag  will  be  followed  shortly,  let  us  hope,  by 
the  establishment  of  a  stable  civil  administration,  based 
on  the  American  principle  of  local  self-government. 

"The  government  now  exercising  supreme  authority 
in  the  island,  you  will  understand,  is  a  government  of 
conquest,  in  which  the  will  of  the  military  commander 
is  substituted  for  that  of  the  Spanish  king  and  Cortes. 
It  does  not  pretend  to  interfere  with  the  local  laws,    ex- 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  145 

cept  in  so  far  as  may  be  necessary  to  protect  the  army 
of  the  United  States  and  maintain  peace  and  good  order 
among  the  people  of  the  island.  It  looks  to  the  local 
courts  to  do  justice  as  between  man  and  man,  and  to  the 
moderation  and  good  sense  of  the  people  themselves  for 
the  maintenance  of  public  tranquility,  and  for  the  cul- 
tivation of  that  perfect  respect  for  the  rights  of  persons 
and  property  which  constitutes  the  foundation  of  the 
American  system  of  government. 

' '  It  has  been  wisely  said  by  one  of  the  fathers  of  the 
republic  that  '  That  government  is  best  which  governs 
least,'  and  this  is  the  principle  which  Porto  Rico  should 
keep  constantly  in  view.  Government  interference  is 
necessary  only  when  the  people,  instead  of  confining 
themselves  exclusively  to  their  own  particular  affairs, 
presume  to  interfere  with  the  affairs  of  their  neighbors. 

' '  If  every  one,  high  and  low,  rich  and  poor,  Porto  Rican 
and  Spaniard,  devotes  himself  strictly  and  exclusvely 
to  his  own  private  or  official  business,  eschewing  politics 
and  public  affairs,  for  the  next  year,  everybody  will 
find  at  the  end  of  that  time  that  the  island  has  been  well 
governed  and  prosperous,  and  your  American  fellow 
citizens  will  proclaim  you  worthy  of  the  good  fortune 
which  has  united  your  destinies  to  those  of  the  great 
Republic. 

"Permit  me  to  add  that  as  soon  as  the  Spaniards  have 
evacuated  the  island,  and  the  sovereignty  of  the  United 
States  is  fully  established,  a  military  governor  will  be 
appointed  by  the  President,  and  he  will  govern  in  the 
main  in  accordance  with  the  principles  I  have  indicated. 


146  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

How  long  this  military  government  will  last  must  de- 
pend largely  upon  the  people  of  Porto  Rico  them- 
selves. 

' '  In  the  natural  and  regular  course  of  events  the  mili- 
tary government  should  be  followed  by  a  territorial  gov- 
ernment established  by  act  of  Congress,  and  this  in  time 
should  be  followed  in  a  few  years  by  a  government 
which  shall  make  Porto  Rico  a  sovereign  State  of  the 
great  Republic,  and  give  it  all  the  rights  guaranteed  by 
the  constitution  of  the  United  States. 

"Permit  me  to  add,  before  concluding,  that  you  are 
likely  to  meet  with  delay  in  the  realization  of  your 
hopes  from  two  principal  causes. 

"  It  is  well  known  in  the  United  States  that  Porto 
Rico  is  a  Roman  Catholic  country,  and  there  is  grave 
objection  on  the  part  of  many  good  people  against  the 
admission  of  a  purely  Roman  Catholic  State  into  the 
Union.  This  is  based  not  so  much  on  opposition  to 
that  particular  religion  as  on  the  feeling  that  the 
domination  of  any  sect  would  be  prejudicial  to  our  prin- 
ciples of  government.  We  have,  perhaps,  ten  millions 
of  Roman  Catholics  in  the  United  States,  but  they  are 
scattered  throughout  the  various  States,  and  inter- 
mingled everywhere  with  the  Protestant  sects,  so  that 
no  one  has  a  majority.  We  have  no  established  Church, 
and  under  our  policy  Congress  can  pass  no  act  concern- 
ing religion  or  limiting  the  right  of  any  citizen  to  wor- 
ship God  as  he  pleases. 

"The  result  is  that  all  the  churches  are  absolutely 
free,    and   none   concerns   itself    with    politics.     Each 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  147 

watches  to  see  that  the  other  does  not  get  control  of  the 

State. 

' '  Now  that  the  Spanish  government  has  been  ex- 
pelled, it  can  no  longer  support  the  Church  in  this 
island,  hence  the  Church  will  necessarily  have  a  hard 
struggle  till  it  can  establish  itself  on  the  basis  of  volun- 
tary parochial  support.  Meanwhile  the  Protestant  de- 
nominations in  the  United  States  will  have  the  right  to 
send  their  missionaries  into  this  inviting  field,  where 
they  will  doubtless  receive  a  hearty  welcome,  but  still 
the  advantage  will  remain  with  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  in  which  the  people  have  been  born,  married 
and  buried  for  the  last  four  hundred  years. 

' '  Besides,  it  must  not  be  forgotten  that  the  Church, 
like  every  other  institution  of  the  island,  will  surely 
realize  its  full  share  of  the  benefits  arising  from  the 
union  of  the  island  with  the  great  Republic.  It  will, 
therefore,  become  more  liberal  and  independent,  as  well 
as  more  powerful  than  it  has  ever  been. 

"Fortunately  for  you,  however,  every  other  Christian 
denomination  will  from  this  time  forth  be  free  to  make 
converts,  establish  churches,  open  schools  and  circulate 
religious  books  and  newspapers,  and  generally  to  show 
that  it  is  a  worthy  teacher  and  guide  to  a  higher  and 
better  civilization  than  ever  prevails  where  one  Church 
holds  undisputed  sway. 

' '  The  second  great  menace  to  the  future  of  the  Porto 
Rican  people  is  the  danger  of  an  outbreak  of  violence 
and  intolerance  on  the  part  of  one  section  of  your  people 
against  another;  the  danger  of  insular   turning   against 


148  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

penisular;  of  Porto  Rican  turning  against  Spaniard, 
with  the  torch  and  dagger,  to  avenge  himself  for  the 
wrongs  and  oppressions,  real  or  imaginary,  which  have 
so  long  characterized  the  Spanish  domination  in  this 
beautiful  island. 

' '  It  needs  no  argument  to  show  that  such  an  outbreak 
if  it  becomes  general,  cannot  fail  to  bring  discredit  on 
your  countrymen  as  a  turbulent  and  law-breaking  people 
who  cannot  be  intrusted  with  the  precious  privilege  of 
self-government,  and  must  therefore  be  ruled  by  a  mili- 
tary commander. 

' '  I  firmly  believe  that  the  Porto  Ricans  are  a  docile, 
orderly  and  kindly  people,  w^ell  prepared  for  a  better 
government  than  they  have  ever  enjoyed,  but  you  must 
lose  no  opportunity  to  impress  upon  the  United  States 
that  you  are  tolerant  and  magnanimous  as  well. 

' '  Your  wrongs,  whatever  they  were,  have  been 
avenged  by  the  expulsion  of  the  Spanish  flag  and  the 
Spanish  dominion,  without  exertion  or  cost  on  your 
part,  and  the  least  you  can  do  in  return  is  to  repress  the 
spirit  of  revenge  and  resolve  to  live  in  peace  and 
quietude  with  j^our  Spanish  neighbors,  respecting  their 
rights  of  persons  and  property,  as  you  desire  to  have 
your  own  respected. 

"In  this  way,  and  in  this  way  only,  can  you  show 
3'ourselves  to  be  worthy  of  the  great  destiny  which  has 
overtaken  you,  and  which,  let  us  hope,  is  to  speedily 
clothe  your  island  with  sovereignty  as  a  member  of  the 
great  continental  Republic. 

"Thus,  and  thus  only,  can  we  become  fellow  citizens 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  149 

indeed  in  perpetual  enjoyment  of  our  common  and  inesti- 
mable heritage  as  citizens  of  the  freest,  richest  and  most 
powerful  nation  in  the  world."  The  Hon.  A.  H.  Green 
speaks  as  follows  of  the  present  condition  of  Porto  Rico: 
* '  The  problems  that  force  themselves  upon  the  atten- 
tion at  the  outset  are  those  of  government  and  of  finance. 
The  first  question  that  naturally  arises  is,  what  shall  be 
done  with  these  possessions?  How  shall  they,  with 
their  unassimilated  populations,  be  cared  for?  The  pres- 
ence of  a  military  force  will  doubtless  be  an  immediate 
necessity.  It  should  be  administered  in  the  mildest 
form,  unless  riot  and  disorder  otherwise  require,  and  be 
controlled  by  officers  humane  and  intelligent,  inclined 
to  encourage  at  the  earliest  practical  time  the  inaugura- 
tion of  a  civil  rule  which  shall  gradually  and  as  rapidly 
as  may  be  found  wise  invite  an  official  participation  of 
representatives  of  the  indigenous  populations.  Can  this 
be  done?  Let  the  doubting  and  the  timid  recall  what 
has  been  done,  and  is  now  doing  toward  improving  the 
conditions  of  the  peoples  of  the  East  and  ask  themselves 
whether  America  is  not  likely  to  be  equally  successful 
in  caring  for  those  whose  destinies  she  has  assumed  to 
direct;  whether  it  is  not  her  duty  to  enforce  order  and 
to  keep  the  peace  among  peoples  who  by  her  acts  have 
been  left  disorganized  and  defenseless,  a  prey  to  the  in- 
ternecine strifes  of  barbarous  chiefs  and  to  the  intrigues 
of  roaming  banditti  ?  And  have  not  experiences  in  as- 
similating Spanish  territories  hitherto  successfully  an- 
nexed or  conquered  proved  abundantly  our  ability  to 
do  all  this? 


150  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

"It  is  natural  enough  that  conservative  minds  should 
adhere  to  the  traditions  of  the  past,  but  times  are 
changed,  and  the  wisest  of  our  forefathers  were  not  able 
to  foresee  what  the  workings  of  centuries  might  effect. 
The  atrocities  to  which  the  inhabitants  of  Cuba  have 
been  subjected  in  the  past  two  or  more  years  aroused 
the  indignation  of  the  civilized  world. 

'  *  '  Their  moans,  the  vales  redoubled  to  the  hills, 
And  they  to  Heav'n.' 

"The  financial  problem,  which  is  already  command 
ing  the  serious  attention  of  the  Government,  is  next  in 
order.  How  are  the  great  expenditures  of  the  war  to  be 
recouped?  Shall  we,  in  addition  to  territory  acquired, 
demand  cash  indemnity  ?  If  the  care  of  these  acquisi- 
tions is  to  be  as  costly  as  some  suppose,  it  would  not  be 
an  unreasonable  requirement.  While  we  shall  lose  the 
revenues  derived  from  imposts  upon  importations  into 
the  United  States  from  these  possessions,  which  were 
not  large,  this  will  be  more  than  compensated  by  the 
duties  which  we  can  impose  upon  importations  from 
other  nations  into  them.  In  making  up  the  estimates  of 
the  whole  financial  situation  it  will  be  safe  to  assume 
that  at  first  our  Government  outlays  will  exceed  in- 
come; our  people,  however,  will  have  the  profit  of  fur- 
nishing products  of  the  United  States  to  an  added  popu- 
lation of  10,000,000  to  12,000,000,  freed  from  the  duty 
that  we  can  impose  upon  the  imports  of  other  nations. 
Of  the  $10,000,000  in  value  of  imports  into  the  Philip- 
pines from  all  countries,  we  supplied  less  than  $200,- 
oco,  while  we  took  from  them  nearl}'  $5,000,000. 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  151 

^' The  interests  of  the  people  who  gain  their  living 
and  manual  labor  are  among  the  first  to  be  considered 
and  jealousl}'  guarded.  Fortunately  the  far  greater  part 
of  these  in  America  are  engaged  in  employments,  which 
will  be  benefited  by  annexation.  A  fresh  and  unre- 
strained market  is  to  be  opened  for  our  products,  and  the 
indigenous  products  of  these  regions  are  to  be  brought 
here  free  of  duty  to  give  added  employment  to  our  fac- 
tories.    No  competitions  of  labor  are  to  arise. ' ' 

As  to  our  new  acquisition  of  new  colonies  by  the 
United  States,  Theodore  S.  Wolsey,  Professor  of  Inter- 
national Law  at  Yale  University,  has  this  to  say,  and 
every  word  he  utters  is  pregnant  with  meaning,  for  no 
one  could  be  a  more  capable  judge: 

' '  It  has  already  been  said  that  England  learned  the 
lesson  of  the  American  Revolution,  while  Spain  has 
never  heeded  it  nor  the  loss  of  her  own  colonies.  Yet 
it  really  was  not  until  fifty  years  ago  that  their  methods 
sharply  diverged.  As  early  as  1778  Spain  had  begun  to 
open  her  dependencies  to  foreign  trade,  and  early  in 
this  century  they  were  allowed  to  trade  with  one 
another.  So,  likewise,  although  great  changes  had  been 
earlier  made  in  the 'English  colonies,  the  spirit  of 
monopoly  and  of  a  restrictive  policy  was  in  force  until 
about  18 15.  So  far  as  relates  to  the  evils  of  the  colonial 
system,  then,  the  two  were  not  very  unlike.  But  into 
the  field  of  administrative  reform  and  the  grant  of 
autonomous  powers  to  her  colonies,  Spain  never  has  en- 
tered. The  abuses  of  the  early  part  of  the  century  char- 
acterize also  its  later  years.    Discrimination  against  the 


152  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

native-born,  even  of  the  purest  Spanish  stock;  officials 
who  regard  the  colony  as  a  mine  to  be  worked,  not  a 
trust  to  be  administered;  forced  dependence  upon  the 
mother  country  for  manufactures,  even  for  produce,  so 
far  as  duties  can  effect  it;  self-government  stifled;  rep- 
resentation in  the  Cortes  denied  or  a  nullity  ;  a  civil  ser- 
vice unprogressive,  ignorant,  sometimes  corrupt — com- 
pare these  handicaps  w^ith  the  growth,  the  prosperity, 
the  independence,  above  all,  the  decent  and  orderly  ad- 
ministration, of  the- colonies  of  England.  One  of  the 
wonderful  things  in  this  half  century  is  that  army  of 
British  youth,  with  but  little  special  training  or  genius, 
or  even,  perhaps,  conscious  sympathy  for  the  work, 
learning  to  administer  the  great  and  growing  Indian 
and  colonial  empire  honestly  and  wisely  and  well,  with 
courage  and  judgment  equal  to  emergencies,  animated 
by  an  every-day  working  sense  of  duty  and  honor,  but 
not  very  often  making  any  fuss  or  phrases  about  it.  It 
is  not  that  Spanish  colonial  government  is  worse  than 
formerly,  which  is  costing  it  now  so  dear,  but  that  it  is 
no  better,  while  the  world's  standard  has  advanced  and 
condemns  it.  Never  yet  has  Spain  looked  at  her  colo- 
nies with  their  own  welfare  uppermost  in  her  mind.  She 
has  never  outgrown  the  old  mistaken  theories.  Her 
fault  is  medievalism,  alias  ignorance. 

"It  is  not  a  cause  for  wonder,  therefore,  quite  apart 
from  special  sources  of  discontent,  that  Cuba,  which,  by 
position  is  thrown  into  contact  with  progressive  peo- 
ples, should  chafe  at  her  leading  strings.  Without  refer- 
ence to  the  corruption  and  cruelty,    arrogance,    injustice 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  155 

and  repression  which  are  alleged  against  the  mother 
country,  without  rhetoric  and  without  animosity,  we 
may  fairly  say  that  Spain  is  losing  Cuba,  perhaps  all 
her  colonies,  simpl}'  because  she  has  not  conformed  to 
the  standard  of  the  time  in  the  matter  of  colonial  gov- 
ernment. If  England  had  not  altered  her  own  methods, 
her  colonies  would  long  since  have  abandoned  her  as 
opportunity  offered.  The  wonder  really  is  that  Spain 
has  held  hers  so  long;  for  Cuba,  at  least,  owing  to  its 
exceptional  fertility  and  position,  has  relatively  out- 
stripped its  declining  mother. 

"There  remains  the  moral  of  the  story. 

'  'If  w^e  are  not  mistaken  as  to  the  fundamental  causes 
of  Spain's  colonial  weakness,  other  colonial  powers 
must  take  warning  also,  and  the  United  States  in  par- 
ticular, if  it  yields  to  the  temptations,  or,  as  many  say, 
assumes  the  divinely-ordered  responsibilities,  of  the 
situation.  For  its  protective  system  is  a  derivative  of 
the  mercantile  system,  as  the  colonial  system  was.  If  it 
becomes  a  colonial  power,  but  attempts  by  heavy  duties 
to  limit  the  foreign  trade  of  its  colonies,  if  it  administers 
those  colonies  through  officials  of  the  spoils  type,  if  it 
fails  to  enlarge  the  local  liberties  and  privileges  of  its 
dependencies  up  to  the  limit  of  their  receptive  powers — • 
if,  in  short,  it  holds  colonies  for  its  own  aggrandize- 
ment, instead  of  their  well-being — it  will  be  but  repeat- 
ing the  blunders  of  Spain,  and  the  end  will  be  disaster." 

Colonel  Hill  has  declared  that  the  heavy  burdens 
under-which  the  business  world  of  Porto  Rico  has  been 
staggering  in  the  past  have  been  almost  inconceivable. 


154  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

Something  of  this  has  already  been  said,  but  it  may  be 
well  to  give  Colonel  Hill's  views,  as  he  is  certainly  a 
most  competent  judge.  The  colonel  says  that  in  the  first 
place  there  has  been  a  tax  on  ever)^  ship  that  comes  in 
and  goes  out.  There  has  been  a  heavy  tax  on  all  articles 
of  impost  and  a  special  tax  on  all  articles  not  enumer- 
ated in  the  tariff.  In  addition  to  that,  an  additional  tax 
of  ten  per  cent,  on  the  bill  was  added.  Each  hackman 
who  plied  between  the  port  and  the  town  of  Ponce  had 
to  pay  a  tax  of  eight  dollars  a  month.  No  person  could 
write  a  letter  to  an  official  without  first  going  to  the 
collector  and  purchasing  a  certain  kind  of  official  paper, 
for  which  he  must  pay  fifty  cents  to  one  dollar  a  sheet. 
The  price  was  regulated  by  the  rank  of  the  official  who 
had  to  be  written  to. 

The  effect  of  all  this  was  rather  to  increase  the  num- 
ber of  complaints  from  citizens  than  to  increase  the 
revenues  of  the  island. 

To  General  Ernst,  who  was  the  officer  in  command  of 
the  territory  of  Coamo,  a  large  number  of  protests  were 
made.  In  especial,  a  delegation  of  twelve  to  fifteen  citi- 
zens called  upon  the  general  to  request  the  removal  of 
the  alcalde,  on  the  ground  that  he  had  been  an  officer  in 
the  Spanish  volunteer  army,  and  was  unsatisfactory 
because  of  his  former  connections.  The  gentleman, 
however,  had  gracefully  accepted  the  new  condition 
of  affairs  and  was  performing  the  duties  of  his  office 
earnestly  and  faithfully.  These  facts  General  Ernst 
was  in  possession  of  and  he  was  forced  in  consequence 
to  deny  the  request  of  the  delegation. 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILI.  MEAN.  155 

For  his  own  protection  and  to  remove  any  false  im- 
pression there  might  be  in  the  public  mind,  General 
Ernst  issued  the  following  proclamation,  which  was 
printed  in  both  English  and  Spanish: 

"Headquarters  ist  Brigade,  ist  Div., 
I  St  Army  Corps,  Camp  Near  Coamo, 

Porto  Rico,  September  3,  1898. 
To  the  People  of  Coamo  and  Neighboring  Districts: 

* '  To  prevent  misunderstanding  as  to  the  rights  and 
duties  of  the  various  members  of  this  community,  you 
are  respectfully  informed : 

"i.  That  no  change  has  been  made  in  the  civil  laws 
of  Porto  Rico,  and  that  none  can  be  made  except  by  the 
Congress  of  the  United  States.  The  present  civil  authori- 
ties are  to  be  obeyed  and  respected. 

"2.  That  no  prejudice  rests  against  any  citizen, 
whether  in  office  or  not,  for  having  served  as  a  volun- 
teer, if  he  now  frankly  accepts  the  authority  of  the 
United  States. 

"3.  That  the  persecution  of  persons  simply  because 
they  are  Spaniards,  or  Spanish  sympathizers,  will  not  be 
tolerated.  They,  as  well  as  the  Porto  Ricans,  are  all  ex- 
pected to  become  good  American  citizens,  and,  in  any 
event,  they  are  entitled  to  the  protection  of  the  law  until 
they  violate  it.  O.  H.  Ernst, 

'  'Brigadier-General  Commanding." 

About  this  time  President  McKinley  promulgated 
through  the  War  Department  the  revised  customs   tariif 


156  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

and  regulations  to  be  enforced  by  the  military  authori- 
ties in  the  ports  of  Porto  Rico, 

In  general,  the  regulations  for  Porto  Rico  were  practi- 
cally the  same  as  those  promulgated  for  Cuba  and  the 
Philippines.  The  one  important  difference  was  that 
trade  between  ports  in  the  United  States  and  ports  and 
places  in  the  possession  of  the  United  States  in  Porto 
Rico  be  restricted  to  registered  vessels  of  the  United 
States  and  prohibited  to  all  others.  It  was  provided  that 
any  merchandise  transported  in  violation  of  this  regu- 
lation should  be  subject  to  forfeiture,  and  that  for  every 
passenger  transported  and  landed  in  violation  of  this 
regulation  the  transporting  vessel  should  be  subject  to  a 
penalty  of  f  200. 

This  regulation  should  not  be  construed  to  forbid  the 
sailing  of  other  than  registered  vessels  of  the  United 
States  with  cargo  and  passengers  between  the  United 
States  and  Porto  Rico,  provided  that  they  were  not 
landed,  but  were  destined  for  some  foreign  port  or  place. 

Ii  was  further  provided  thai  this  regulation  should 
not  be  construed  to  authorize  lower  tonnage  taxes  or 
other  navigation  charges  on  American  vessels  entering 
the  ports  of  Porto  Rico  from  the  United  States  than  were 
paid  by  foreign  vessels  from  foreign  countries,  nor  to 
authorize  an)'  lower  customs  charges  or  tariff  charges 
on  the  cargoes  of  American  vessels  entering  from  the 
United  States  than  were  paid  on  the  cargoes  of  foreign 
vessels  entering  from  foreign  ports. 

The  regulations  as  to  entering  and  clearing  vessels 
and  the  penalties  for  the   violation   were   the   same   as 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  157 

those  fixed  for  Cubau  ports  in  the  possession  of  the 
United  States.  The  tonnage  dues  were  reduced,  as  in 
Cuba,  to  twenty  cents  per  ton  on  vessels  entering  from 
ports  other  than  Porto  Rican  ports  in  the  possession  of 
the  United  States,  and  two  cents  a  ton  on  vessels  from 
other  ports  in  Porto  Rico.  The  landing  charge  of  $1  per 
ton  was  abolished,  and  the  special  tax  of  fifty  cents  on 
each  ton  of  merchandise  landed  at  San  Juan  and  Maya- 
guez  for  harbor  improvement  was  continued. 

As  in  Cuba,  the  Spanish  minimum  tariff  was  to  be 
collected.  On  most  articles,  however,  this  was  much 
higher  than  the  minimum  tariff  which  was  imposed  by 
Spain  in  Cuba.  The  differential  in  Porto  Rico  imposed 
on  goods  imported  from  countries  other  than  Spain  was 
much  smaller  than  in  Cuba,  so  that  under  Spanish  rule 
there  was  not  a  wide  difference  between  duties  on  goods 
from  countries  other  than  Spain  imported  into  the  two 
islands.  Under  the  operation  of  the  President's  orders 
imposing  the  minimum  tariffs  in  both  islands  the  effect 
wouldbe  to  tax  most  articles  much  higher  in  Porto  Rico 
than  in  Cuba.  As  in  Cuba,  a  tariff  was  imposed  on  to- 
bacco, manufactured  tobacco,  cigars  and  cigarettes 
equivalent  to  the  internal  revenue  taxes  imposed  in  the 
United  States. 

Richard  Harding  Davis  says  that  there  will  be  no 
such  complications  in  Porto  Rico  as  those  which  exist 
in  Cuba  for  the  United  States  troops  there  were  not 
allies.  They  were  men  who  came,  were  seen  and  con- 
quered. The  revolutionary  leaders  had  no  share  or 
credit  in  their  triumphal  progress. 


158  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

Now  to  examine  into  what  Porto  Rico  offers  for 
American  enterprise  and  capital. 

In  the  first  place,  United  States  Consul  Hanna  has 
been  flooded  with  letters  from  fortune  hunters.  He 
strongly  advised  all  of  them  to  remain  at  home  until  the 
Americans  were  in  complete  control.  Now,  let  us  ex- 
amine what  one  or  two  competent  authorities  have  to 
say  of  Porto  Rico,  so  far  as  American  enterprise  is  con- 
cerned. 

Here  is  the  opinion  of  a  man  who  has  lived  in  Porto 
Rico  for  several  years  and  who  knows  of  what  he  is 
speaking : 

'  'We  take  Porto  Rico,  too,  at  a  time  when  everything 
favors  increased  prosperity.  It  has  not  been  ravaged 
and  wrecked,  like  Cuba,  by  war.  Its  foreign  trade  in 
1896,  amounting  to  $36,624, 120,  was  the  largest  in  its 
history,  the  value  of  the  exports  then,  for  the  first  time 
in  over  ten  years,  exceeding  that  of  the  imports.  Of 
course  the  main  trade  has  always  been  with  Spain,  but 
the  trade  with  us  stands  next,  and  during  the  year  in 
question  was  over  two-thirds  of  that  with  Spain.  Of  late, 
it  is  true,  our  trade  with  Porto  Rico  has  been  relatively 
declining,  being  far  less  than  it  was  a  quarter  of  a  cen- 
tury ago.  During  the  reciprocity  period  of  a  few  years 
since  it  increased  somewhat,  but  after  that  it  fell  off 
again.  It  is  important  to  note,  however,  that  our  ex- 
ports to  Porto  Rico  have  kept  well  up  of  late  5'ears,  the 
falling  off  in  total  trade  being  due  to  the  decline  of  our 
imports,  so  that  now  the  exports  are  not  far  from  equal 
to  the  imports,  instead  of  being  much  inferior  as  former- 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  159 

\y.  It  is  a  noteworthy  fact  that  the  exchange  from  both 
countries  is  mostly  of  products  of  the  soil.  That  is  the 
case  with  ninety-nine  hundredths  of  Porto  Rico's  ex- 
ports to  us,  sugar  and  molasses  comprising  85  per  cent., 
with  coffee  coming  next,  and  it  is  also  true  of  over 
three-fifths  of  our  exports  to  Porto  Rico,  among  which 
breadstuffs  and  meat  foods  are  prominent. 

"But  with  Porto  Rico  fully  ours,  and  the  discrimina- 
tions enforced  by  past  laws  in  favor  of  Spanish  trade 
wiped  out,  there  must  be  a  change  in  the  currents  of 
her  commerce.  We  shall  expect  to  furnish  the  chief 
markets  for  her  products,  and  on  the  other  hand  to  send 
to  the  island  more  food  products  than  ever,  more  ma- 
chinery, textile  fabrics,  iron  and  steel.  Her  capabilities 
will  be  developed,  perhaps  notably  in  coffee  cultivation. 
Her  peaceful  and  industrious  people  will  welcome 
American  enterprise  and  capital,  American  progressive 
methods,  and  free  institutions.  Indeed  one  of  the  most 
striking  events  of  this  year  was  the  extraordinary  en- 
thusiasm with  which  American  troops  were  greeted  all 
along  the  southern  shores  of  the  island.  It  was  as  if  the 
people  could  already  forecast  the  great  future  in  store 
for  them,  under  American  laws  and  the  American  flag." 

A  correspondent  of  the  New  York  Evening  Post,  who 
signs  himself  by  the  initials  A.  G.  R.,  speaks  with 
authority  as  follows: 

'  'The  prominence  given  to  the  island  bj'  the  events  of 
recent  months  has  led  many  of  our  people  to  think  it  of 
vastly  greater  importance,  commercially,  than  it  really 
is.     Consul  Hauna,  who  is  back  in  his  old  quarters    in 


i6o  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

San  Juan,  has  a  small  wheelbarrow  load  of  letters  from 
all  parts  of  the  United  States,  asking  detailed  informa- 
tion upon  all  conceivable  lines  of  trade,  manufacture 
and  profession.  To  answer  them  according  to  the  terms 
of  their  requests  would  be  the  work  of  a  short  lifetime. 
But  they  indicate  the  widespread  interest  of  American 
business  men  in  Porto  Rican  mercantile  affairs.  Every 
steamer  arriving  here  brings  its  group  of  American  pas- 
sengers. Some  are  visitors  who  make  the  trip  only 
through  curiosity.  The  majority  come  with  an  idea  of 
some  form  of  business,  either  in  the  shape  of  a  specu- 
lative flyer,  permanent  investment,  or  a  commercial  or 
industrial  establishment. 

"A  large  percentage  of  those  who  come  are  young 
men,  who  have  just  about  enough  money  to  get  them 
here,  to  keep  them  here  for  a  week  or  two,  and  then  get 
them  home  again.  These  come  in  the  hope  of  finding 
immediate  employment,  of  catching  on  to  something 
which  will  maintain  them.  They  invariabl)^  go  home 
again.  The  island  is  no  place  for  such.  None  but  the 
capitalist,  the  investor,  or  the  business  man  with  money 
for  his  business,  should  come  to  Porto  Rico  with  any- 
thing more  in  view  than  an  outing  or  a  vacation.  As 
things  are  at  present,  there  is  little  enough  to  interest 
the  capitalist  or  the  investor.  The  man  who  is  looking 
for  a  job  should  look  for  it  at  home;  his  chances  are  in- 
finitely better  than  they  are  here.  There  is  absolutely 
nothing  for  the  position  hunter,  for  the  clerk,  or  for  the 
workman.  In  time  there  may  be  something,  but  it  will 
be,  at  the  least,  many  months  before  such  opportunities 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  i6i 

are  open,  and  even  then  they  will  be  few.  Until  then 
the  case  is  hopeless,  and  those  who  come  will  but  do  as 
their  predecessors  have  done — go  home  again,  poorer 
and  wiser  men.  If  a  young  man  can  afford  to  spend  a 
couple  of  hundred  dollars  in  the  purchase  of  that  par- 
ticular form  of  wisdom,  the  opportunity  is  open  to  him 
here  on  this  island.  If  he  cannot  afford  it,  he  will  do 
better  not  to  risk  it. 

' '  Merchants  will  find  nothing  to  do  here,  except  to 
glean  a  certain  amount  of  information  of  rather  doubt- 
ful accuracy,  until  the  question  of  tariff  rates  shall  have 
been  definitely  settled.  There  is  now  nothing  on  which 
to  base  any  plans  or  calculations  for  business  operations. 
The  native  merchants  are  complaining  seriously.  They 
are  waiting  to  place  orders  for  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
dollars'  worth  of  goods  to  replenish  stocks  which  have 
been  depleted  through  many  months  of  uncertain  trade 
conditions,  and  are  losing  business  which  they  have 
been  led  to  expect  would  be  open  to  them  almost  imme- 
diately after  the  American  occupation  of  the  different 
cities  in  which  they  are  located.  Nor  is  it  at  all  easy  for 
an  American  to  obtain  any  definite  information  or  ac- 
curate details  regarding  any  particular  line  of  business 
and  its  possibilities.  lyocal  commercial  methods  are  not 
reduced  to  the  system  which  prevails  among  American 
business  men.  The  Porto  Rican  merchant  buys  and  sells, 
but  I  fail  to  find  evidence  of  that  close  study  of  business 
and  business  methods  by  which  the  American  merchant 
increases  his  trade  and  his  profits. 

* '  The  entire  trade  of  the  island    is  of  no   very  great 


1 62  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

magnitude.  The  local  trade  in  local  products  is  chiefly 
confined  to  the  morning  market  for  table  supplies, 
which  is  held  in  all  the  cities  and  larger  towns.  The 
total  imports  and  exports  hardly  reach  a  gross  amount 
of  thirty  millions  of  dollars  a  year,  and  the  imports  ex- 
ceed the  exports  by  a  couple  of  millions.  I  have  been 
unable  to  find  any  statistics  which  I  was  willing  to 
accept  as  wholly  reliable.  So  far  as  I  can  learn,  no  com- 
plete report  has  been  submitted  by  the  United  States 
Consul,  and  there  are  discrepancies  which  I  cannot 
reconcile  in  the  published  reports  of  the  English  Consul 
and  those  of  the  Dutch  Consul.  I  can,  therefore,  only 
give  figures  which  are  approximate,  though  they  are 
sufiiciently  close  for  general  purposes. 

'  *  Cotton  goods  appear  to  be  the  largest  item  among  the 
imports,  and  they  represent  a  trade  of  two  or  three  mil- 
lions of  dollars,  varying  from  year  to  year,  according  to 
the  prices  and  the  success  or  failure  of  the  crop  pro- 
ducts of  the  island.  Rice  is  imported  to  the  value  of  one 
and  a  half  to  two  millions  of  dollars.  Flour,  chiefly  from 
the  United  States,  approximates  three-quarters  of  a  mil- 
lion dollars.  Dried,  salt  and  pickled  fish,  of  which 
Canada  seems  to  obtain  the  lion's  share  of  the  trade, 
represents  a  million  to  a  million  and  a  quarter.  The 
United  States  has  the  major  portion  of  a  trade  in  pork 
and  pork  products  which  about  equals  the  fish  business. 

' '  Woollen  goods  are,  naturally,  of  but  limited  consump- 
tion in  so  warm  a  climate,  and  the  trade  is  probably  less 
than  $150,000  in  amount.  Agricultural  implements  rep- 
resent a  business  of  three  to  four  hundred  thousand  dol- 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  163 

lars.  Boots  and  shoes,  almost  exclusively  from  Spain, 
represent  some  five  or  six  hundred  thousand.  Chinaware, 
gla.ssware,  lumber,  coal,  soap,  furniture  and  other  arti- 
cles of  general  use  and  consumption  represent  amounts 
varying  from  one  to  three  or  four  hundred  thousand 
dollars. 

"The  most  astonishing  thing  in  the  whole  list  of  im- 
portations is  the  item  of  vegetable  and  garden  products. 
These  are  imported  into  this  country,  which  is  in  itself 
but  a  natural  garden  in  which  can  and  should  be  raised 
every  form  of  vegetable  necessary  or  desirable  for  con- 
sumption, and  the  annual  value  of  the  imports  approxi- 
mates $400,000  and  the  weight  7,000  tons.  The  island 
uses  $150,000  worth  of  imported  candles  and  $50,000 
worth  of  imported  butter  yearly.  It  uses  two  to  three 
hundred  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  cheese,  of  which  the 
Netherlands  have,  for  the  last  few  years,  furnished 
much  the  greater  part.  Uruguay  and  the  Argentine  sup- 
ply it  with  one  to  three  thousand  tons  of  jerked  beef 
annually.  Wines,  beers,  and  liquors  take  something 
more  than  a  half  a  million  a  year  out  of  the  country. 

"Among  Porto  Rican  exports  coffee  is  the  heaviest 
item.  This  reaches  an  average  valuation  of  some  $10,- 
000,000  a  j^ear.  Sugar  ranks  next,  and  approximates 
three  to  four  million  dollars.  Tobacco  goes  to  the  extent 
of  some  half  a  million,  and  molasses  touches  about  the 
same  figure.  Hides,  cattle,  timber  and  fruit  are  repre- 
sented in  the  list,  but  their  value  is  comparatively  in- 
considerable. Guano  to  the  extent  of  half  a  million  a 
year  appears  in  the  reports  for  some  years,  but  I  am  un- 


i64  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

able  to  account  for  either  the  article  or  the  amount. 
Some  corn  has  been  sent  to  Cuba,  some  native  rum  to 
Spain,  and  some  bay  rum  to  France  and  to  the  United 
States. 

"It  will  thus  be  seen  that,  as  yet,  the  island  offers 
but  a  comparatively  limited  amount  of  business,  either 
in  buying  or  selling.  Under  wise  laws,  and  a  just  and 
equitable  system  of  taxation,  with  a  suitable  railway 
system  and  improved  highways,  and  with  the  ports  of 
the  United  States  and  of  the  islands  open  to  the  ex- 
change of  commodities,  free  of  duty,  a  very  material  in- 
crease of  the  business  of  the  island  will  inevitably  fol- 
low. It  is  quite  possible  to  double  the  trade  within  the 
next  ten  or  fifteen  years.  There  will  be  some  wild-cat 
speculation,  some  unwise  investment  and  some  loss  to 
investors.  The  schemer  and  the  promoter  will  find  vic- 
tims who  will  put  their  money  into  companies  whose 
future  is  wholly  hopeless.  But  along  with  that  there 
may  reasonably  be  expected  a  steady  growth  and  im- 
provement. But  it  will  come  by  gradual  increase  and  de- 
velopment, and  not  by  a  sudden  bound." 

According  to  Mr.  William  J.  Morrise)',  a  prominent 
real  estate  dealer  of  Brooklyn,  who  spent  some  time  in 
Porto  Rico,  the  island  is  no  place  for  an  American  to 
invest  any  money  at  present.  He  says  that  the  place  can 
be  made  to  pay,  provided  the  United  States  Government 
clears  the  entire  island  of  Spaniards  and  fills  the  towns 
and  cities  with  the  American  people. 

Mr.  Morrisey  also  states  that  the  natives  of  the  cities 
are  desirous  of  becoming  American    citizens,    but   that 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  165 

out  in  the  country,  it  is  far  different.  These  people  are 
constantly  in  fear  of  the  Americans,  and  their  sole  desire 
is  to  dispose  of  their  property  as  soon  as  possible  and 
return  to  Spain.  The  more  enlightened  of  them  are  of 
the  opinion  that  the  United  States  Government  will 
banish  all  the  Spaniards  from  the  island  and  thereby 
make  it  more  agreeable  for  the  residents. 

A  dispatch  of  the  Evening  Post  sa^-s  that  in  view  of 
representations  made  to  the  War  Department  that  the 
municipal  councils  in  Porto  Rico  were  making  hay  while 
the  sun  shines,  and  granting  business  franchises  right 
and  left  under  the  Spanish  law  empowering  them  to  do 
so,  orders  were  recently  issued  to  General  Brooke  to  put 
a  stop  to  the  practice  forthwith,  and  the  announcement 
was  given  out  that  on  the  evacuation  by  the  Spaniards, 
and  our  assumption  of  military  authority  in  the  island, 
no  more  of  these  loose  grants  would  be  made.  Mean- 
while American  shippers  were  in  a  state  of  mind  over  a 
lack  of  ships  with  which  to  conduct  the  normal  com- 
merce of  this  country  with  Porto  Rico.  The  change  of 
status  for  the  island,  from  being  a  foreign  possession  to 
a  port  of  the  United  States  coast,  had  made  the  rigid 
regulations  of  our  coasting  trade  applicable  to  it,  and 
the  purchase  of  so  many  of  our  coasting  vessels  by  the 
government  for  use  as  transports,  coalers,  and  the  like, 
had  embarrassed  the  progress  of  coast  commerce  not  a 
little.  The  regulations  had  to  be  suspended  on  two  or 
^  three  occasions  to  let  in  ships  which  seemed  absolutel}' 
necessary,  and  now  the  question  came  up  whether  it 
would  be  best  to  suspend  the  regulations   altogether  or 


i66  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

to  have  each  separate  vessel  which  needed  American 
papers  apply  to  Congress  for  special  legislation. 

There  was  another  question,  and  a  very  important 
one,  which  came  up,  and  that  was  how  far  Louisiana 
and  other  sugar-producing  States  would  be  affected  by 
the  annexation  of  Porto  Rico. 

In  no  State  in  the  Union  does  a  single  interest  play 
so  important  and  so  peculiar  a  part  as  the  sugar  industry 
in  Louisiana.  Fully  two-fifths  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
vState  are  more  or  less  interested  in  sugar,  and  any  great 
disaster  to  the  crop  would  injure  ninety  per  cent,  of  the 
population  in  southern  Louisiana. 

So  far  as  Porto  Rico  goes,  it  is  very  doubtful  if  it  will 
injure  Louisiana  in  any  way.  As  has  been  said  before, 
the  island  is  densely  populated,  small  in  area,  and  with 
little  additional  land  available  for  sugar.  It  is  by  no 
means  probable  that  it  will  increase  materially  in  its 
sugar  production.  American  laws  will  militate  against 
the  importation  of  contract  labor,  and  will  therefore 
prevent  any  undue  competition.  As  the  New  York  Sun 
very  justly  observes,  the  bugbear  of  the  Louisiana  sugar 
planter  is  not  territorial  expansion,  but  the  war  taxes 
and  the  possibility  of  their  permanent  adoption,  bring- 
ing with  it  the  reopening  of  the  old  tariff  agitation, 
which  they  supposed  was  permanently  closed. 

Taking  it  all  in  all,  territorial  expansion  has  certain- 
ly no  terrors  for  the  Louisiana  planters. 

With  the  evidence  we  have  given,  it  is  easy  to  see 
what  Porto  Rico  has  to  offer,  or  not  to  offer,  to  Ameri- 
cans. 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  167 

With  their  usual  manana,  the  Spaniards  have  been 
slow  to  evacuate  the  island,  but  a  decisive  stand  has 
been  taken  by  the  President. 

The  chief  intent  of  the  administration  is  to  clear  the 
island  of  Spaniards,  put  at  work  American  methods  in 
sanitary,  civic  and  economic  administration,  and,  for 
the  purpose  of  doing  this  without  annoyance,  to  have 
forces  enough  for  police  duty. 

The  day  fixed  for  the  hoisting  of  the  American  flag 
over  San  Juan  and  the  complete  and  permanent  occupa- 
tion of  Porto  Rico  by  the  military  forces  of  the  United 
States  was  October  18. 

It  was  possible  for  the  Administration  of  the  United 
States  to  take  this  step  by  virtue  of  war  powers  and  of 
the  establishment  of  the  fact  that  Porto  Rico  is  to  be 
wholly  and  permanently  American. 

At  the  present  time  of  writing  Porto  Rico  is  still  a 
foreign  country,  so  far  as  the  laws  of  the  United  States 
are  concerned,  and  until  changed  by  Congress,  customs 
duties  will  be  collected  on  imports  from  the  island.  So, 
too,  with  the  navigation  laws,  and  American  ship- 
owners are  warned  to  secure  registers  for  foreign  com- 
merce before  entering  the  Porto  Rico  trade,  as  vessels 
with  only  coasting  enrollments  and  licenses  will 
be  subject  to  penalty  on  their  return  to  the  United 
States. 

On  the  1 8th  of  October,  promptly  at  noon,  the  flag 
was  raised  over  San  Juan. 

An  excellent  description  of  the  proceedings  has  been 
given  in  the  Boston  Herald,  and  reads  as  follows: 


168  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

"The  ceremony  was  quiet  and  dignified,  unmarred  by 
disorder  of  any  kind. 

"The  nth  regular  infantry,  with  two  batteries  of  the 
5th  artillery,  landed.  The  latter  proceeded  to  the  fort, 
while  the  infantry  lined  up  on  the  docks.  It  was  a  holi- 
day for  San  Juan,  and  there  were  many  people  in  the 
streets. 

"Rear  Admiral  Schley  and  General  Gordon,  accom- 
panied by  their  staffs,  proceeded  to  the  palace  in  car- 
riages. The  nth  infantry  regiment  and  band,  with  troop 
H  of  the  6th  U.  S.  cavalry,  then  marched  through  the 
streets,  and  formed  in  the  square  opposite  the  palace. 
At  11.40  A.  M.  General  Brooke,  Admiral  Schley  and 
General  Gordon,  the  United  States  evacuation  commis- 
sioners, came  out  of  the  palace  with  many  naval  officers, 
and  formed  on  the  right  side  of  the  square.  The  street 
behind  the  soldiers  was  thronged  with  townspeople, 
who  stood  waiting  in  dead  silence, 

"At  last  the  city  clock  struck  the  hour  of  12,  and  the 
crowds,  almost  breathless,  and  with  eyes  fixed  upon  the 
flag  pole,  watched  for  developments.  At  the  sound  of 
the  first  gun  from  Fort  Morro,  Major  Dean  and  Lieuten 
ant  Castle  of  General  Brooke's  staff  hoisted  the  stars 
and  stripes,  while  the  bland  played  the  'Star  Spangled 
Banner. ' 

All  heads  were  bared,  and  the  crowds  cheered.  Fort 
Morro,  Fort  San  Cristobal  and  the  United  States  rev- 
enue cutter  Manning,  lying  in  the  harbor,  fired  21  guns 
each, 

"Senor  Munoz   Rivera,    who   was  president   of  the 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN.  169 

recent  autouomist  council  of  secretaries,  and  other  offi- 
cials of  the  late  insular  government  were  present  at  the 
proceedings 

' '  Congratulations  and  handshaking  among  the  Ameri- 
can officers  followed.  Ensign  King  hoisted  the  stars  and 
stripes  on  the  Intendencia,  but  all  other  flags  on  the 
various  public  buildings  were  hoisted  by  military  officers. 
Simultaneously  with  the  raising  of  the  flag  over  the  cap- 
tain-general's palace  many  others  were  hoisted  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  city. 

' '  The  work  of  the  United  States'  evacuation  commis- 
sion was  now  over.  The  labors  of  both  parties  ter- 
minated with  honor  for  all  concerned." 

After  the  parade  the  bauds  and  various  trade  organiz- 
ations went  to  General  Henry's  headquarters.  General 
Henry  in  a  speech  said: 

"Alcalde  and  Citizens:  To-day  the  flag  of  the  United 
States  floats  as  an  emblem  of  undisputed  authority  over 
the  island  of  Porto  Rico,  giving  promise  of  protection 
to  life,  of  libert)-,  prosperity  and  the  right  to  worship 
God  in  accordance  with  the  dictates  of  conscience.  The 
forty  five  States  represented  by  the  stars  emblazoned 
on  the  blue  field  of  that  flag  unite  in  vouchsafing  to  you 
prosperity  and  protection  as  citizens  of  the  American 
Union. 

' '  Your  future  destiny  rests  largely  with  yourselves. 
Respect  the  rights  of  each  other.  Do  not  abuse  the  gov- 
ernment which  accords  opportunities  to  the  individual 
for  advancement.  Political  animosities  must  be  forgot- 
ten in  unity  and  in  the  recognition  of  common  interests. 


I70  WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN. 

I  congratulate  3'OU  all  on  beginning  j'our  public  life 
under  new  auspices,  free  from  governmental  oppression, 
and  with  liberty  to  advance  your  own  country's  interests 
by  your  united  efforts." 

General  Henry  then  introduced  Colonel  John  B. 
Castleman,  who  spoke  with  great  effect  as  an  old  Con- 
federate. 

The  alcalde  replied  in  part: 

* '  We  hope  soon  to  see  another  star  symbolic  of  our. 
prosperity  and  of  our  membership  in  the  great  republic 
of  States.  Porto  Rico  has  not  accepted  American  domi- 
nation on  account  of  force.  She  suffered  for  many  years 
the  evils  of  error,  neglect  and  persecution,  but  she  had 
men  who  studied  the  question  of  government,  and  who 
saw  in  America  her  redemption  and  a  guarantee  of  life, 
liberty  and  justice. 

* '  Then  we  came  willingly  and  freely,  hoping,  hand 
in  hand  with  the  greatest  of  all  republics,  to  advance 
in  civilization  and  progress,  and  to  become  part  of  the 
republic  to  which  we  pledge  our  faith  forever." 

When  the  Spanish  fiag  was  hauled  down  all  over  the 
island  and  the  Stars  and  Stripes  raised  in  its  place. 
General  Brooke  became  the  chief  executive  of  Porto 
Rico.  Actually,  but  not  in  name,  he  was  the  military 
governor  of  the  island.  The  plan  of  a  military  governor 
for  Porto  Rico,  to  hold  until  the  Washington  authori- 
ties deem  it  wise  to  substitute  a  purely  civil  adminis- 
tration, has  not  been  fully  arranged.  From  October  i8 
until  the  plan  of  the  Government  has  been  put  into 
effect,  General  Brooke,  or  the  military  officer  who  will 


WHAT  THE  POSSESSION  WILL  MEAN,  171 

succeed  him  if  he  asks  for  detachment,  will  be  in 
supreme  control  of  civil  and  military  affairs.  It  is  the 
intention,  however,  of  the  Government  here  to  have  as 
little  of  the  militarj'  element  as  possible  in  the  adminis- 
tration of  affairs,  and  so  to  all  intents  and  purposes  a 
civil  administration  will  be  in  operation  from  the  time 
the  Spaniards  surrendered  authority. 

Still,  when  all  has  been  said,  it  is  perfectly  sure  that 
in  the  end  Porto  Rico  will  become  one  of  the  most  im- 
portant of  our  possessions.  Superstition  and  tyranny 
will  be  driven  from  this  most  fertile  island,  and  hope 
and  peace,  under  the  Stars  and  Stripes,  will  be  brought 
to  the  thousands  so  long  under  foot. 

Hail,  therefore  to  Porto  Rico !  And  some  day  may  it 
become  a  bright  star  in  the  flag  that  brings  protection 
and  freedom  to  all ! 

(the  end.) 


F 


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